The Writing on My Skin
by JayhawkWrites
Summary: Soulmates both get a unique mark somewhere on their skin that will have or has had some meaning to them. They can write to each other back and forth by writing on their skin. Kurt Hummel has been waiting for his soulmate to finally turn 16. Little does he know that he will be meeting his soulmate very soon, thanks to Noah Puckerman.
1. Just the Two of Us

A/N: This story is being written for the 2020 Klaine Valentine's Challenge and will be the 4th installment of teddyshoney and my series, "In Every Lifetime." It also fills silentpeaches prompt and will be beta'd by teddyshoney. All mistakes, though, are my own. I own none of the characters or Glee itself.

* * *

The moment Kurt turned 16, he stripped down and looked himself over in the mirror. He wasn't exactly sure what he was looking for, but he knew he was looking for something. Anything out of the ordinary would stand out on his porcelain skin. Once he had looked over his body, his whole body, every nook and cranny, he put his clothes back on, sat on his bed, and sighed. He had hoped more than anything that he would find his mark on his birthday.

_I really hope he's...surely my soulmate is a he, right? Whoever it is, I hope they're not too much younger than me,_ Kurt thought. _I could really use someone to talk to right now._

* * *

"Daddy?" Kurt asked his father one day when he was four-years-old.

"What's up, kiddo?" Burt answered, enjoying the warm sun with his two favorite people in the world.

"Wha's dat?" Kurt asked, pointing to the yellow circle looking thing with the dots on it on the crook of his father's right arm.

"That," Burt began, smiling at the mark, "is how I know that your Mommy is supposed to be with me."

"Huh?" Kurt asked, thoroughly confused.

"Well..." Burt began, looking to his wife to see if she wanted to explain. She shook her head, knowing that if Kurt wanted to ask her, he would have. "When you get older, you will get a mark on you somewhere. And the only other person in the world who is meant to be with you will have a mark, too. It might be the exact same thing, or it might complement your mark. See Mommy's?" Burt asked, pointing to the mark on the crook of Elizabeth's left arm. "Mommy's goes with mine."

"But, what do dey mean?" Kurt asked. "How's you gonna figure it out?"

"Ours were fairly simple to figure out," Elizabeth answered. "Your Daddy and I used to meet up at the arcade in town all the time. We were friends even then, this was even before we got our marks. So, it wasn't too much of a surprise when we did get them, and they went together. They're from a game called 'Pac-Man,' and I used to kick your Daddy's hiney at it."

"You did not," Burt objected, looking at the ghost with three dots on his wife's arm. "I totally let you win so you'd keep hanging out with me."

"Wha' happens if'n somebody doesn' get a mark?" Kurt asked.

"Everybody gets a mark," Burt answered him. "And, you will meet the person who has the other mark when the timing is right. Everybody has somebody, Kurt. The Fates make sure of it."

"Okay, Daddy," Kurt said, placated by what his father had told him.

"You wanna see something even cooler than the mark?" Elizabeth asked Kurt.

"There's sumpin' cooler?" Kurt asked, intrigued by what his mother had to say. He leaned in closer to her so he could see whatever she was going to do.

"May I borrow your pen, my love?" Elizabeth asked her husband.

Burt handed her his pen, and she proceeded to write on her left forearm lyrics from the song that they had danced to at their wedding.

"Just the two of us

Building castles in the sky

Just the two of us, you and I."

"Look at Daddy's arm," she prompted, pointing.

"WHOA!" Kurt exclaimed. "Dat's super cool! Can I write on _my_ arm?"

"You can," Burt chuckled at his son's excitement. "But, it will just be on your arm for right now. All of this cool stuff will happen when you or your soulmate turns 16."

"Why's dat, Daddy?" Kurt asked, still staring at the lyrics written on his parents' arms.

"Nobody really knows why, kiddo," Burt said. "That's just the way it's always been. If your soulmate is older than you, you will get your mark the moment you turn 16. If they are younger than you, the mark will turn up when they turn 16. And, it will always be something that will be important to you. Again, I have no idea how Fate knows what that mark will be, but it does, especially if you haven't met each other yet. Mommy and I were different. Our mark is something that has always been important to us."

"Dat's so cool," Kurt said. "I can' wait to be sis-teen."

* * *

The rest of the summer passed by slowly for Kurt. Some of his friends started getting their marks, including one of his closest friends. Brittany showed up on the day of her 16th birthday sporting a low-cut top that clearly showed off her new mark: two hands holding pinkies right under her left collarbone.

Kurt had stopped checking his body over every day after the first couple of months after his birthday. As he got into the shower one morning, however, he started singing a song he hadn't heard in years, though he knew it by heart.

_"We look for love, no time for tears_

_Wasted waters's all that is_

_And it don't make no flowers grow_

_Good things might come to those who wait_

_Not to those who wait too late_

_We got to go for all we know"_

He was just about to get to the chorus again when he noticed something on his right wrist. He had a mark. "Holy shit! I have my mark!" Kurt said aloud as he stared in awe at it. What he saw was pretty amazing; it was a red heart, but the middle of it had a missing shape, a puzzle piece. "That's poetic," he said to himself.

He got out of the shower, dried off, and sat on his bed, wrapped up in his towel. He grabbed a pen from his nightstand and wrote right above his mark, "Happy birthday!"

Nothing happened right away, so he started to get ready for school. He hoped, that wherever they were, his soulmate had a better time at school than he did. Kurt absolutely despised McKinley High. The names all of the ignorant assholes called him, he could take. They weren't anything he couldn't handle. But, the locker checks, dumpster throws, and slushy facials were getting out of hand already, and school had only started a week ago. It seemed like over the summer, the jocks had grown bigger and their dislike for him grew as well.

_I'm glad that plain old marks won't show up on my soulmate,_ Kurt thought, really not wanting his soulmate to see the pain that was inflicted on him on a daily basis through his bruises. Thinking about his soulmate, he looked back at his mark and noticed that there was a new message right above it. "Thank you! How long have you been waiting?"

Kurt didn't think that question was too specific. He definitely did not want to have the bond severed now that it had finally formed, and he knew the quickest way to do that was to ask for identifying information about each other.

* * *

"Dad?" Kurt asked his dad one day during the summer between his 5th and 6th-grade years.

"What's up, bud?" Burt answered.

"We learned a little about soulmates and our marks at school," he began, "and I have some questions that I didn't really know how to ask at the time."

"Shoot, kiddo," Burt said. "If I don't have the answer, maybe we could look them up on the Google."

"Well…" Kurt started to explain after he had chuckled at his father. Burt knew how to use the internet just fine. He also knew calling it "the Google" made his son laugh and Kurt's laughter was one of his favorite sounds.

Kurt stopped and gathered his thoughts so that he could get out what he wanted to say. "They talked about ways that bonds could be severed. One was if one of the soulmates died, like Mom did. They said that you won't ever find another soulmate, but that it's possible for you to love someone else again."

"That's true," Burt confirmed. "I'm not sure that will ever happen with me, though. I'm not sure there's anyone out there that I could ever be with. Your mom was one in a million. But, your teacher was right; it is possible for me to love again, even though my soulbond has been severed."

Kurt was nodding along to what his dad was saying, letting him know that he understood. "The other thing that I was confused about was the writing. They talked about how we can't say certain things, 'self-identifiable things' were the words they used. But, what does that mean? It was so frustrating that they just expected us to know what they were meaning."

"You can talk back and forth like you saw your mom and I do all of the time," Burt explained. "It comes in really handy when you're heading to the store and forgot the list, or you're going to pick up take-out on the way home. But, before we connected, and I will explain that in just a second, if we ever asked the other person their names, what town we were in, or what we looked like, anything about ourselves, including if we were a boy or girl, that would have instantly broken the connection, and we wouldn't be able to communicate that way anymore. Following me so far?" When Kurt nodded that yes, he was following what his dad was saying. "After you meet your soulmate, you can put your marks together making them touch, and that seals your connection. After that, you can talk about anything you want to because the Fates are happy that you've found each other."

"Why couldn't they just tell us all of that instead of using fancy words like 'self-identifiable'?" Kurt asked, frustrated.

Burt laughed at this, "Sometimes, adults like to use big words to make themselves sound smart, and they forget that not everyone will know what they mean."

* * *

Rachel had already had her bond severed because of 'self-identifiable things'; she thought she was above the rules, and she found out the very hard way that she most definitely was not above the rules when it came to soulmates and soul bonds. She thought that asking just one little thing wouldn't be caught. The screeching went on and on once she found out how very wrong she was.

Kurt also knew that he didn't want to have pen marks all over his body, and he most certainly did not want anyone to read his private messages. So, he got a cotton ball and some rubbing alcohol and wiped away the previous messages, knowing they would also disappear from his soulmate's skin. He also had some lotion to re-hydrate his skin, knowing that the alcohol would dry it out.

"Just a few months, so not too long at all. I have to get to school, but I'd like to chat more today if we can," Kurt wrote.

"My school is really strict about everything, so I probably won't be able to until after my club meeting. Can we plan for 4:30?"

Kurt erased both messages and wrote one more. "Sounds good. I am looking forward to it. Have a wonderful birthday!"

"Thank you, again. Have a great day at school!"

Kurt erased both messages, not really allowing himself to get his hopes up that his day at school would be better than any other day. At least he had something to look forward to when his time in the hell hole was over. He moisturized his arm and then headed to school.

* * *

A/N: Song used is "Just the Two of Us" by Grover Washington Jr. feat. Bill Withers


	2. Cute

It was turning out to be another _thrilling_ day at McKinley High. Kurt got to school that morning and immediately got called names and slushied when he walked through the front door; no matter how irrelevant calling him "fag" was, the jocks still insisted upon that as their go-to name for him. Since Fate chose who you were bonded with, most kids grew up not having a preference of one gender over another; they just got along with everyone. However, in very conservative areas like the one he lived in, some parents taught their kids that being in a same-sex relationship was 'unnatural' and 'against the laws of the creator.' They thought that, no matter what their marks said, their kids should keep looking for someone of the opposite gender with a matching or complementary mark, even after bonds had been formed.

Kurt reminisced later that day about his soulmate as he switched his books out for his second to last class of the day. He had always guessed that his soulmate would be a boy, but there was honestly no way to know for sure until they met. He just had never gotten those warm and fuzzy feelings from looking at or thinking about girls. Sure, they were beautiful and fun to be around, but it never did anything for him when he thought about kissing them or, you know, doing anything further with them. Just to try things out, he had kissed Brittany before either of them got their marks, and he felt nothing. Damn, the girl could kiss, though! There was no doubt about that. But, he just didn't _feel_ anything other than a good kiss. It didn't make his heartbeat quicken or make him want more.

As he was thinking about his kiss with Brittany, he suddenly felt pain as his whole body collided with his locker. When he looked up, he saw Dave Karofsky, his biggest tormentor, looking back at him with a "what in the fuck are you going to do about it?" look on his face. The bully turned and walked away, and Kurt was struck with indecision. He wanted to follow Karofsky, to ask him what the fuck his problem was. But, he was afraid to at the same time.

Right at that moment, Kurt looked down at his hand and saw one word: "Courage." How his soulmate knew he needed that exact phrase in that exact moment, he would never know. Kurt closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and turned to follow Karofsky. _I'm done being pushed around_, he thought as he saw that Karofsky had gone into the boy's locker room.

"What in the hell is your problem?" Kurt yelled after he burst through the locker room doors, not caring at all who heard him.

"Other than worrying about you sneaking in here to try and peek at my junk?" Karofsky said, looking around to see who else was with them. He was relieved that nobody was. It was getting harder and harder to control his urges every day. Especially when Kurt wore sinfully tight skinny jeans every day that accentuated each and every inch of his lower body.

"Yes," Kurt said exasperatedly. "You've found me out. I have been pining and hoping to get a look at your dick. Because I'm sure it's different than every other dick on the planet. News flash, asshole! I'm not interested in anything about you other than your apparent problem with me."

"Get out of my face, lady," Karofsky sneered. He felt hurt at Kurt's words but didn't quite want to let himself believe what it meant. Not yet, at least.

"What are you going to do? Hit me?" Kurt taunted. "It won't change anything about me if you do. It will only prove that you're intimidated by me, and for what reason, I will never know. What is it, Karofsky? What are you so fucking afraid of?"

There was no answer. There were only lips crashing into his. By the time his mind caught up with what was happening, Karofsky had pulled away. When he saw that there was no reaction, he went in for another kiss. That woke Kurt up, and he shoved Karofsky away and ran out of the locker room. He headed straight to the music room where Glee was held, and he just sat there, singing a ridiculously catchy tune he'd heard Brittany listening to the other day.

_"Is there something in your eye, oh  
Wait, it's just a sparkle  
Can you get a little closer  
And help me out a little bit  
I scraped my knee fallin' for you  
But baby a kiss will do  
I'm singing Fa la la la la la"_

He hung out in the room and sang a few other songs until it was time for Glee, trying to elevate his mood before everyone came in. He knew he was likely to be in trouble for skipping his last class, but he didn't care. He couldn't handle anything at all right then.

His clubmates and Mr. Schue came in just as the last bell rang for the day. Nobody, save one person, noticed how distraught Kurt was as Mr. Schue started talking about their upcoming competition and their assignment challenge this week: Boys vs. Girls. When Kurt tried to go sing with the girls, he was automatically shot down.

"Kurt," Mr. Schue said without even turning around from the whiteboard he was writing on, "boys."

"My voice doesn't match with the boys," Kurt said calmly.

"Doesn't matter," Schue answered. "You're a boy, and that's who you will sing with, no matter what."

Kurt found that he didn't have it in him to argue anymore. He was completely drained from everything that had happened today.

"Why don't you make yourself useful and go spy on the Garglers," Puck said to him when Kurt wandered toward the boys' group. There was no real malice behind his words. Noah Puckerman had become somewhat of a protector of Kurt's and could tell that something was wrong with his friend. Asking him to do this would give him an out for the rest of the day, and he could go home. Puck would make sure to check on him later. Noah hated that he didn't have any classes with Kurt and couldn't be there to protect him as much as he wanted to.

"They're called the Warblers, Noah," Kurt said, thanks shining in his eyes.

"Whatever, Pretty Boy," Puck said. "Just go see what you can find out about them." He fixed Kurt with a look that said, "I'll call you later, 'kay?"

"Alright," Kurt said out loud, both responding to his request to go spy and the unspoken understanding about the phone call.

When Kurt got home, he noticed that the message from his soulmate, his "Courage," hadn't been erased and decided to look up information on the Warblers until his soulmate would be able to chat. He found out that the singing group was about two hours away from Lima in Westerville, and that they were the Glee Club for an all-boys prep school called Dalton Academy. Kurt scoured the photos, trying to find a good one of their uniform. _Apparently, these people don't want anyone to know what they look like, because there's nothing close-up of their clothes_, Kurt thought after he had been searching for several minutes.

At 4:30 on the dot, Kurt got his pen and wrote to his soulmate, "I'm free when you are." He got his rubbing alcohol and cotton balls ready, hoping that they would be able to have a long conversation. While he waited, he decided to go through his wardrobe and find something acceptable to wear to Dalton the next day.

About 10 minutes later, Kurt got his response. "Sorry. My club meeting ran over. How was your day?"

"Uggg," Kurt responded. "Does that work?"

"I'm sorry," his soulmate replied. "Is it because it's getting closer to Valentine's Day? The kids at my school are going crazy!"

Kurt erased the messages on his arm and wrote, "The kids at my school will start going crazy soon. I mean, they're always crazy, so it will just be their regular crazy on steroids."

"You made me spit out my soda," his soulmate said.

"I'm sorry," Kurt said, a small smile on his face. "I will try to keep my snark to a minimum. Thank you, by the way, for the message earlier. I really needed it."

"Don't tame your snark for me," his soulmate answered. "I quite enjoy it. And you're welcome. It's something I tell myself daily and thought I would share with you."

Kurt took a deep breath to really let the messages his soulmate sent coalesce in his mind before he erased them to write something new. "I might have to adopt it, too. How was your day?"

"It was terrific, actually!" The response came almost immediately. "My friends embarrassed the hell out of me all day long, which isn't really that abnormal. Today, it was just a little more frequent since it's my birthday and all. They did let me pick the song we're going to sing tomorrow for our impromptu concert."

Giggling and loving the knowledge that his soulmate liked to sing also, Kurt responded, "You sound like you have some really great friends."

"I do," his soulmate responded. Several minutes went by with no words before they were all wiped clean, and his soulmate said, "My friends have decided to take me out to supper, and I'm not sure how late we'll be out. Would it be alright, though, if I checked in before I went to bed, just to say good night?"

"I'd really like that," Kurt responded. "Have fun with your friends, and I will talk with you later."

Kurt had just gotten his outfit finalized for his trip to Westerville the next day when his phone rang. "Hey, Noah," Kurt said as he picked up.

"Hey, Princess," Noah replied. "What was going on earlier today?"

"Umm…" Kurt started not wanting to tell Noah what happened in the locker room. He knew that his friend would force him to tell his father once he heard.

"I'm coming over," Noah said and then hung up the phone before Kurt could respond.

Ten minutes later, there was a knock on the front door. Kurt came downstairs and answered it. "Come on in," Kurt muttered and gestured to the living room. "I know that after I tell you this, you'll just make me tell my dad, so I'm going to tell both of you at the same time." Kurt had honestly contemplated lying to his friend, but he knew it wouldn't work. For starters, Noah could always tell when Kurt was lying. Additionally, Kurt was tired of the bullying and felt like right now something he couldn't explain was pushing him to tell someone about it.

Noah sat down on the sofa in the living room with a nod to Burt, and Burt turned the TV off after hearing what his son said. Their home wasn't that big, and the front door was right by where Burt was sitting. He figured if Kurt hadn't wanted him to hear what he was saying, he would have lowered his voice more. Kurt sat down next to Noah. He knew he would need the close proximity of his friend to get through everything. He also figured he would need to stop Puck from leaving to go kick the shit out of Karofsky after Kurt relayed what had happened.

"Okay," Kurt started with a sigh. He tried to keep himself calm and rational. "I'm going to need both of you to not talk until I'm done. Can you do that, please?" Seeing both of them agree, Kurt told them first about getting his soulmark and then about all of the bullying, ending with what had transpired in the locker room that afternoon. He had been right; Noah tried more than once to get up off of the couch and go after Karofsky. It took both Kurt and his dad to stop him, not wanting to see Puck go back to juvenile detention. He had been in there once before Kurt and he became friends, and none of them wanted to see him back in there.

"You're not going back to that school," Burt declared. "Don't think that I haven't noticed that you come home in different clothes than you go to school in. Don't think that I haven't seen the way you move like you're in pain. I was hoping that you'd come to me sooner, but I know better than to push you into anything."

"I'm sorry, Dad," Kurt said, finally letting his tears fall. He had been holding so much in and away from his dad that he just let it all go. It felt good to be honest about what was going on at school. The overwhelming weight he'd been carrying around nearly disappeared.

Burt came over and hugged his son. He had calmed down a little bit from the news of what that neanderthal had done to his son. "I did some research a couple of months ago on other schools when you came home and could barely move without grimacing. There's one, Dalton Academy in Westerville, that has a no-bullying policy that is strictly enforced."

"Kurt?" Noah said from behind Kurt. "I don't want to see you go, but you gotta check that school out. I can't be around to protect you all of the time. And Karofsky's crazy enough to take it further if he gets a chance. Go where you can be happy and safe, and we'll figure the rest out later."

"Dad," Kurt said, "I was actually going to spy on the Dalton Academy Warblers tomorrow and cut class. I know. Don't start with me; I know. But, when I was on their website trying to match something I had to their uniforms, I stumbled across the no-bullying policy and thought it sounded like heaven. I also came across the tuition, and, Dad, it's really expensive."

"I would say to let me worry about that part of it, but I know you, kid," Burt said with a smile on his face. "I've been saving up, not sure what it was supposed to be for exactly, but I've been saving nonetheless. The money isn't something you need to worry about, okay?"

Kurt was nodding his head. He sincerely couldn't believe what was happening. He had woke up that morning, dreading the thought of even a few more weeks in that hell hole. Now, he was done there. For good.

Noah stayed for supper and then went home after giving his friend a huge congratulatory hug. "Your mark is really cool," he said as Kurt opened the door for him. "Call me tomorrow after you get back, capiche?"

"Capiche," Kurt said and hugged Noah again. "Thank you, Noah." His eyes said more than his words could.

"Anytime, Princess," Noah said and got in his truck to leave.

Kurt spent some time with his dad that evening, just lounging and watching TV. They talked about how the next day would go and what time they would leave. It was decided that Burt would call Dalton first thing in the morning to see if they could get a meeting with the headmaster and then go from there. He planned to call McKinley and tell them Kurt was home sick, and then after the meeting with Dalton, he would deal with Figgins.

Later that night, while he was watching reruns of Friends on his laptop and trying to get his mind to calm down from the day, Kurt noticed a new message on his left forearm. "I'm exhausted."

"Oh yeah?" Kurt replied. "Fun night, then?"

"Sort of," his soulmate said. "My friends thought it would be hilarious to set me up with someone, so I had to let them know that that wasn't possible anymore. And, they figured out that I had gotten my mark."

"That's alright," Kurt said. "I had to tell a couple of people today, too." It wasn't that talking about your soulmark was taboo or anything like that, but they were a special thing between couples.

"So, you're not mad?" his soulmate asked, wanting to make sure.

"Not at all," Kurt replied and then cleaned his arm off. "Some really great things came from talking about it tonight, and, uggg, I wish I could tell you more. But, I really enjoy being able to talk to you this way."

"I understand and don't want to jinx it, either," his soulmate responded. "I'm going to get to bed, though; school starts early for me, and it takes me about an hour to get ready in the morning."

Kurt cleaned his arm again and replied, "Sleep well, and I will chat with you tomorrow."

"Sleep well, too."

Kurt felt the urge to draw a heart on his arm in response, but he didn't think they were quite ready for that. He fell asleep softly singing that damn song he'd had stuck in his head since before Glee.

_"I'm falling in love and wouldn't I like to think so  
__And every night I look at the stars out my window  
__And I hope I can see  
__The one that we saw together  
__It was just you and me and honestly  
I'll look for that star forever"_

* * *

A/N: My muse ran away with me. My original plan was to have the boys meet today...and it just didn't happen. Tomorrow...I PROMISE...they will meet.

*The song is "Cute" by Stephen Jerzak. It's one I had never heard before, and it's really catchy!

*I took liberties with some of the dialogue and events from "Never Been Kissed," so none of that content is mine.


	3. Tell Me What You See

Kurt awoke at 6:30 the next morning, just the same as he did every day. His body had been conditioned to wake up for school around this time. He knew from looking online that Dalton's schedule was the same as McKinley's, so he was hoping that his dad would be able to get a meeting sooner rather than later.

When he was ready for the day, Kurt went down to the kitchen and heard the end of his dad's conversation.

"Yes. We can be there by 10:00. Thank you for all of your help, Headmaster Kent. We look forward to meeting with you soon."

"I'll make us some omelets really quick, then we can hit the road. Okay, Dad?" Kurt said, coming fully into the kitchen.

"Sounds good, bud. I already called you in for the day, too. I'm hoping after we have the meeting at Dalton, we'll just be able to transfer all of your records over, and you'll be able to start your new classes on Monday. You'd miss tomorrow, but with your grades, I'm not worried about it in the long run. How are you feeling about all of this, honestly?" Burt was concerned that so many changes at once would be hard for Kurt, and he wanted his son to be comfortable with the transition.

"Nervous for sure. I don't want to be the new kid in school. I'm also worried about the cost, even though you said not to be. On top of that, I'm stupidly sad to be leaving my friends, especially Noah, Brittany, and Santana. But...I'm looking forward to seeing if this no-bullying policy actually is real. It's honestly hard for me to fathom going to school and not being worried about getting hurt or called some derogatory name. It would be nice to not have to change my clothes two or more times a day."

"I'm sorry I didn't do this sooner, Kurt. I wish I'd followed my gut several months ago. However, there's nothing I can do to change that now. So, we'll just move forward now." He gave Kurt a reassuring smile.

"I love you, Dad!" Kurt flashed his father a smile before turning back around to finish cracking the eggs.

"I love you, too, son."

The men ate their breakfast and drank a couple of cups of coffee before they piled into the truck and took off on their way to Westerville. Burt had the radio on some oldies channel that Kurt secretly loved but would never admit. The Beatles were playing, and they always reminded Kurt of his mom.

_"If you let me take your heart I will prove to you  
__We will never be apart if I'm part of you  
__Open up your eyes now, tell me what you see  
__It is no surprise now, what you see is me"_

"Good morning!" The message appeared on Kurt's left hand.

_Damnit, I forgot my alcohol and cotton balls. Maybe my soulmate will have some and get the hint that I need them to erase today. Or...I guess I could tell them, _Kurt thought to himself.

"Good morning. Nothing to erase with today." Kurt replied back to his soulmate.

"Me either. Guess we'll chat later?" his soulmate asked.

"Sounds great!" Kurt replied.

"Soulmate?" Burt asked, glancing at his son.

"Yep," Kurt answered. "Neither one of us have anything to erase with today, though, so we're going to talk later."

"_Big and black the clouds may be, time will pass away  
__If you put your trust in me I'll make bright your day  
__Look into these eyes now, tell me what you see  
__Don't you realise now, what you see is me  
__Tell me what you see_"

"I really love The Beatles," Kurt said. He stared out the window at the passing scenery, missing his mom as the song continued to play.

"Me, too, kiddo," Burt replied. "They always make me miss her, though." He smiled wistfully.

"Yeah…" Kurt agreed.

The two made small talk for the rest of the drive, choosing to stick to lighter topics, and arrived at Dalton 15 minutes before their meeting.

"Wow!" Kurt exclaimed. "This place is so much bigger than it looked in the pictures."

"It's pretty fancy, huh?" Burt asked, glancing around. This school looked like somewhere he wanted to see his son attending. Kurt was made for a school like this.

"Better than the rundown building McKinley is housed in, that's for sure."

"With what they charge, it better be nice. Now, don't look at me like that. I swear to you, kid, if we couldn't afford it, I wouldn't have suggested it." Burt didn't know whether to be proud or sad that Kurt worried about money. In the end, he decided it didn't matter. He wanted Kurt to be happy and safe, and he'd do whatever it took.

"Okay. If you're sure."

"I am. Let's go find the admin building and meet with the headmaster." Burt took off toward a tall, stone building to their right that looked like it might be the building they were looking for.

They found the administration office with no problems and were asked to wait for just a few minutes. At 9:55, the door to their right opened and out walked a student with the most beautiful hazel eyes and gelled down curly hair Kurt had ever seen. He was carrying what looked like an extra blazer, too.

"Thank you for this, Headmaster Kent. I'm not sure how the pocket on my blazer ripped, but I knew that you had extras. Also, don't forget about the Warblers performance in a little bit."

"I remember, Blaine. And it's no problem about the blazer. That's part of my job. Now, get back to class, and I will see you at the performance."

The beautiful boy, Blaine he heard the headmaster say, left the office and gave a little wave to the secretary on his way out. Kurt couldn't keep the grin off of his face. That boy was so cute!

"You must be the Hummels," the headmaster said warmly. "I'm Jonathan Kent, the headmaster here at Dalton. Please, come in. Do you gentlemen need anything after your drive? If I remember correctly, you came all the way from Lima."

"We're good. Thank you, though," Burt said, liking this guy so much more than the ridiculous principal at McKinley already.

Burt and Kurt both talked about why it was they were looking to have Kurt transfer, and Headmaster Kent talked to them about their options. "We have a scholarship available that you could apply for to help with the costs," he said. "It's funded by a local organization that helps kids and their families recover from bullying experiences and get the help they need when something like this happens. Will you be thinking about boarding Kurt?"

That wasn't something they had discussed, so Kurt looked toward his dad.

"I think it would be a good idea if you did, kiddo. I will hate not having you at home, but four hours in the car each day seems like too much. What are the options for that, and what will it add on to the cost?" Burt asked, turning back to the headmaster.

"The scholarship would help with half of the boarding and tuition costs," Headmaster Kent said. "The organization that funds the scholarship knows that when kids look at our school for these reasons, they likely don't live close or have any other options. We take our no-bullying policy very seriously, and the organization appreciates it. They want all kids to be able to go to school and be safe."

Burt turned back to Kurt, wondering what his son was thinking. He gestured to him questioningly.

"What about you?" Kurt said, not wanting to think about not getting to see his dad every day. Just imagining it was making him tear up.

"I'll be fine," Burt said, already planning to look at places he could open up a shop in Westerville if there was a need and he could find the right space. This school seemed almost too good to be true, and he didn't know how well he would do being away from his son that much each week. "I've got some things that might help us to see each other more, but I need to check on them first before I get your hopes up, okay?" He could tell Kurt didn't love the idea of living at the school, and he hoped that didn't dissuade Kurt from choosing Dalton.

Kurt just nodded his head, trusting his dad with this.

"Well, if you guys would like, we can tour the school and then catch the Warblers performance. It's supposed to be a good one, at least that's what I gather from what their lead singer told me," Headmaster Kent said and stood up.

"That sounds great," Burt said with a smile. He knew that the Warblers were the school's Glee Club, and he wanted to see if Kurt thought he'd be able to fit in with them.

The buildings were exquisite, and the classrooms looked like they were well taken care of. Both Kurt and Burt marveled at everything they saw as they followed Headmaster Kent through the school. Right around 10:45, it seemed as though chaos had erupted in the school, and there were boys everywhere. Kurt got separated from his dad and the headmaster, caught up in the shuffle, and he was now very lost. He knew that they were planning to go to the performance, so he pulled his phone out and texted his dad that he would meet them there. Then, he stopped someone to see if they could help him out.

"Excuse me," he said, tapping the shoulder of one of the students passing him on the stairs. When the boy turned around, Kurt noticed that it was the same boy from the office earlier.

"You were in the office earlier, weren't you?" the stranger asked, smiling so bright it caused butterflies to erupt in Kurt's stomach.

"Yeah," Kurt admitted. "I didn't think you saw me."

"I'd notice style like yours any day," the boy said. "I'm Blaine." He offered his hand to Kurt.

"Kurt," he said, shaking the proffered hand. Something seemed to be tugging at his senses, but Kurt had no idea what it was. "I was wondering if you'd be able to help me get to the Warblers performance. Headmaster Kent was taking my dad and me to watch when I got separated from them in the chaos."

"I'd be happy to," Blaine answered and grabbed Kurt's right hand to lead him down a now deserted hallway.

_"Open up your eyes now, tell me what you see  
__It is no surprise now, what you see is me"_

When they got to the commons room, Kurt saw his dad across the crowd. There was no way he was going to try and fight his way over there, so he decided to just stay by the door. "Thanks, Blaine," he said, smiling at him.

"No problem, Kurt. Now, if you'll excuse me…" Blaine said as he turned to walk away.

As the sound of a familiar song started, Kurt noticed some very, very familiar handwriting on Blaine's left hand. With little more than a glance, Kurt's heart skipped a beat, his hand flying to his chest. He recognized the handwriting as his own!

_Holy shit!_ Kurt thought. _My soulmate is fucking gorgeous!_

* * *

A/N: The song used is "Tell Me What You See" by The Beatles. Also...a very special thank you to my wonderful beta teddyshoney for her very hard work editing this chapter. I had to get up stupidly early today for a training and after getting the song prompt before bed last night I had all of these ideas running around in my head. I thought that I could just jot down the main points and then go to sleep. I was very wrong and ended up staying up until 1:00 am to write this, knowing I had to be up at 5:00 to hit the road. I wrote it all on my phone, so there were a ton of mistakes.


	4. I Choose You

Kurt was having a hard time fully grasping what exactly was happening in his life right now. For starters, he never had to go back to McKinley and was going to get to attend this amazing school, free from bullies. He had just realized who his soulmate was, and now, said soulmate was singing one of his favorite songs, seemingly right to him.

"_Let the bough break, let it come down crashin'  
__Let the sun fade out to a dark sky  
__I can't say I'd even notice it was absent  
_'_Cause I could live by the light in your eyes  
__I'll unfold before you  
__Would have strung together  
__The very first words  
__Of a lifelong love letter_"

_He can really sing_, Kurt thought. _His voice is beautiful!_ _I wonder if he knows who I am, too? He keeps staring at me. Did he see the writing on my hand and just not say anything? I didn't have a chance to mention the handwriting before he had to join the group. Does my dad notice anything?_

With that thought, Kurt tore his eyes off of Blaine and looked toward his dad. He seemed to be enjoying the performance and was awestruck at the support the group was receiving from the student body and the headmaster. The kids at McKinley would never willingly sway or sing along with The New Directions when they performed.

When Kurt turned his attention back to his soulmate…_Damn, he's my fucking soulmate_...his mind melted a little at the thought that he, Kurt Hummel, got to spend the rest of his life with this beautiful boy. There was something about him, too, that Kurt could tell was natural and pure. He could sense that Blaine was a good guy and not just some spoiled rich kid whose parents sent him to boarding school to get them out of their hair like how some of the movies and television shows portrayed pre-school boys. He had an aura about him that was gentle and kind and just plain...good.

"_Tell the world that we finally got it all right  
__I choose you  
__I will become yours and you will become mine  
__I choose you  
__I choose you  
__(Yeah)_"

_Was he looking at me when he sang that? I think he was. It still makes me wonder if he knows who I am. If he doesn't, how can I let him know?_ Kurt thought throughout the chorus, his mind beginning to race and his heartbeat quickening.

"_There was a time when I would have believed them  
__If they told me you could not come true  
__Just love's illusion  
__But then you found me and everything changed  
__And I believe in something again  
__My whole heart  
__Will be yours forever  
__This is a beautiful start  
__To a lifelong love letter_"

Before this very moment, those lyrics had always bothered Kurt for the simple fact that he had actually believed all of the negativity and taunting from the bullies at school. When he didn't get his soulmark on his sixteenth birthday, he was relentlessly teased by the jocks. "Looks like Fate actually forgot about you," one would say. Another would add, "Well, no shit, Sherlock. Of course, there's nobody that would love you. I'd feel sorry for anyone who did." The worst thing of all? He was starting to believe them. He'd asked himself many times, "What if I'm the exception? What if I never get a soulmate? What if Fate forgot about me?"

Now, though, now after meeting his soulmate and being in his presence, he knew better. He believed in love and Fate and soulmates again. His emotions had been gradually getting better since he first got his mark a few days ago. He'd still worried a little about not ever meeting his soulmate. It had never happened before, that soulmates didn't meet. Kurt worried, though, that he would be the exception. It was hard not to believe something that had been ingrained in his brain for so long.

Kurt knew that he and his soulmate would be with each other forever. That knowledge went a long way toward making him feel better. Now...if he could only figure out how to broach the topic with the beautiful singer in front of him.

"_Tell the world that we finally got it all right  
__I choose you (I choose you, I do)  
__I will become yours and you will become mine  
__I choose you (I choose you, I choose)  
__I choose you (I choose you)_

_We are not perfect  
__We'll learn from our mistakes  
__And as long as it takes  
__I will prove my love to you  
__I am not scared of the elements  
__I am underprepared, but I am willing  
__And even better  
__I get to be the other half of you_"

_I'm going to ask him if he knows who I am_, Kurt thought. _I have to. I have to know if he saw the writing on my hand and recognized it as his own. And if he didn't, I need to show him. I guess I could try to write to him, but I do not want to make the same mistakes Rachel did. I don't want to severe something so precious. There was a time I'd be terrified of rejection. But, everything in my being is telling me that he won't be disappointed that I'm his soulmate. He can't freaking take his eyes off of me._

Out of the corner of his eye, Kurt noticed his dad looking between the two boys like he was watching a tennis match. At that minute, he knew that his dad knew something was up between the two.

"_Tell the world that we finally got it all right  
__I choose you (I choose you, I do)  
__I will become yours and you will become mine  
__I choose you (I choose you, I do)  
__I choose you (I choose you, I do)  
__I choose you (I choose you)_"

Lost in a haze of emotions and thoughts, Kurt sang the rest of the song with the Warblers, harmonizing perfectly with them. He wasn't even conscious of what he was doing, and he wasn't singing quietly either. He believed in this song and anyone who could hear him could tell that it meant something to him. The meaning was coming out in the clarity and volume of his voice. As the song finished, all of the Warblers' eyes, not just Blaine's, were on him.

He was curious as to why everyone was looking at him and replayed the last 30 seconds or so in his mind. _Oh shit!_ Kurt thought. _They heard me singing and it pissed them off somehow._ Without another thought in his head, he turned and bolted out of the common room toward what he hoped was the way out. He knew this scenario. A room full of eyes on him was never, ever a good thing. The fact that his dad and the headmaster were in the room did not occur to Kurt as he ran. He was so lost in his head, he didn't hear the familiar voice behind him telling him to wait.

* * *

A/N: The song in this chapter is "I Choose You" by Sara Bareilles. My muse ran away from where I thought it would...again. I technically didn't lie though. The boys DID meet. Hopefully tomorrow my brain will do what my heart wants it to and let them talk for more than just a moment.


	5. We're In This Love Together

"Kurt!" he finally heard when he reached a dead end. He spun around, panic in his eyes, and prepared himself for the worst.

_Soulmate or not, I'm sure he's going to hurt me. They all do at some point,_ Kurt thought, cowering in fear. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" he said over and over again as he curled in on himself, ready for fists to start hitting him.

Blaine raised his hands, showing Kurt that he meant him no harm. "Please, don't be scared of me." He felt an immense sadness at seeing this boy so afraid of someone he'd only just met.

Somehow, the calm tone of Blaine's voice was enough to break the cycle of negativity in Kurt's mind. His head snapped up, and he looked at Blaine like he was seeing him for the very first time. He said the first thing that popped into his head: "Do you have a pen?"

Blaine nodded. He took one out of his pocket and slowly handed it to Kurt. Kurt gently took the pen in his right hand and began to write something on his left forearm. When he was done, he looked at Blaine with big eyes, begging him to understand what he had done.

There must really be something to the soulmate bond because Blaine got the hint. He pulled up his left sleeve and saw the words, "I choose you, too," written in Kurt's elegant handwriting. Blaine's head snapped back up, and he looked at Kurt like he was seeing him with brand new eyes, eyes that were filling with tears. "Why'd you run away if you knew?" Blaine murmured emotionally, trying to grasp what had just been brought to his attention.

"Everyone was looking at me," Kurt whispered, almost too quietly for Blaine to hear him. "At my old school, whenever I sang outside of Glee, really bad things would happen." He shook all over, remembering the fists that would come flying at his torso and back and the hands that would push him into the closest hard object. Kurt was glad that it was no longer his reality.

"Nothing is going to happen to you here, Kurt," Blaine said, stepping toward him slowly. He was still somewhat afraid he would scare the pale boy standing in front of him away if he moved too fast.

Kurt just nodded his head. It was going to take some time for his head to understand that he was going to be safe here at Dalton, but hearing the words repeated aloud by his soulmate definitely helped.

Blaine was finally close enough to Kurt to touch him. "Can I hug you?" he asked in a whisper, not as afraid as before that Kurt would bolt but still wanting to be cautious.

"Please," Kurt whispered back and before he could finish the word, Blaine's arms were around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. Neither one of them were aware that they had an audience.

Headmaster Kent, Burt, Wes, and David had followed the boys after they ran out of the room. They had all witnessed what had happened, both in the Common Room and in just now in the hallway. The pure terror in Kurt's eyes wasn't anything new to any of them, they'd all seen it before, though maybe not all of them had seen it on Kurt. Not all of them had seen two soulmates meet for the first time, and they were all very happy about it.

Maybe it was the oldies they had listened to on the drive to Westerville, or maybe it was because he was thinking about the songs that his mom and dad used to sing when he was really little. Kurt honestly wasn't sure where the song came from, but sometime during their hug, he started to hum out a tune.

When he got to the chorus, Blaine began singing softly into Kurt's ear, a message meant for his soulmate's ears only:

"_We're in this love together  
__We got the kind that lasts forever  
__We're in this love together  
__And like berries on the vine  
__It gets sweeter all the time"_

The boys sang the last two lines of the song to each other, smiling the whole time.

"Thank you," Kurt whispered, smiling.

"Kurt," Burt said, officially interrupting their first real moment as soulmates, "wanna fill me in, bud?"

Kurt had a deer-in-the-headlights look on his face. He had completely forgotten where he was and who he had come with, so Blaine answered for him. "Sir, I'm Blaine Anderson, and, if it's alright with you and Headmaster Kent, it might be better if we all go to his office and talk?"

"That's fine with me," Headmaster Kent agreed, and the group went to his office, Kurt and Blaine hand-in-hand. Wes and David were both confused, but Blaine just nodded to them. It was a sign that he would explain later after they had talked to the adults.

After the four sat down in the headmaster's office, Kurt blurted out, "We're soulmates."

Burt had unshed tears in his eyes at this news. He didn't want to think of his little boy growing up, not at all. However, if his son was going to meet his soulmate so young, he was damn glad that it was this young man. Somehow, call it intuition or simply knowing the kind of soulmate his son deserved, he knew that this boy would love his son with every fiber of his being. This boy would all but worship the ground Kurt walked on and would push him to be the best version of himself he could be.

Burt got up, went over to stand in front of Blaine, and said, "Nice to meet you. I'm Burt Hummel." He offered his hand for Blaine to shake.

Blaine stood up and shook Burt's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

"Stop with the 'sir,' kid," Burt chuckled. "You can call me Burt." He clapped the boy on the back before returning to his seat.

"Well, Kurt," Headmaster Kent started, "what do you think? Can you see yourself being here at Dalton?"

"I'd love nothing more," Kurt answered honestly. He felt like he had been run through the emotional gamut today and it wasn't even lunchtime. Even with the emotional rollercoaster, though, he still felt safer than he ever had at McKinley.

"That's excellent news," Headmaster Kent replied. "Unfortunately, you and Blaine won't be able to room together. Our policy here at Dalton is that soulmates, if both of you are boarding, can only room together after they've both been enrolled here for a year. The good news, though, is that you will be rooming right next to him. We know that, especially during the first weeks in your bond, being close to each other is beneficial. You will be rooming with David Thompson in Ellsworth Hall, Room 333. Blaine and his roommate, Wesley Montgomery, are in room 331."

"Could I see my room before we leave today?" Kurt asked. "I'd like to know what it looks like and get an idea of what all I will need to bring."

"You absolutely can," Headmaster Kent replied. "Blaine, could you show him to the room and then come back here? I'll have Burt fill out some of the paperwork to get the transfer process going."

"I'd be more than happy to," Blaine answered standing up. He hadn't once let go of Kurt's hand, and he wasn't intending to do so until he had to leave.

* * *

A/N: The song in this chapter is "We're In This Love Together" by Al Jarreau.


	6. Sweet Creature

Neither boy really knew what to say as they made their way to the boarding rooms. They both had a million thoughts running through their heads, and all of them were too tangled to know where to even start.

"Is my roommate going to be okay with having to share his room?" Kurt asked, worried that the other boy might be upset.

"David's really cool," Blaine said with a smile, thinking about his friend. "He's actually been a little lonely since Jack moved out."

"Why'd he move out?" Kurt asked.

"His family moved overseas, and he had the option to finish out school here or go with them, he chose to go," Blaine explained. Then, a little sparkle came into his eyes, and he asked, "Do you think you'll try out for the Warblers? Your voice is amazing!"

"I'm not sure," Kurt said. He really wanted to, though.

"Why not?" Blaine asked, shocked by Kurt's answer. "I'm sure Wes is chomping at the bit to have a countertenor in our group. It would open up so many possibilities for us."

"Really?" Kurt asked incredulously.

"What would make you think we _wouldn't_ want you to join?" Blaine asked, wondering why his soulmate's confidence was so low. It surprised him that his beautiful soulmate wouldn't think of himself as talented.

"My old glee club never utilized my voice," Kurt explained. "I was only there to harmonize for Kween Rachel Berry. My director never thought my voice was anything special, and I guess I just let myself believe that."

Blaine stopped Kurt right there in the hallway and turned to face him. "Your voice is amazing!" He was so matter-of-fact about it, trying to relay to Kurt exactly how he was feeling. Then, softly, he began to sing, never pulling his hand from Kurt's.

"_Sweet creature  
Had another talk about where it's going wrong  
But we're still young  
We don't know where we're going  
But we know where we belong_

_And oh we started  
Two hearts in one home  
It's hard when we argue  
We're both stubborn  
I know, but oh_"

Blaine nodded to Kurt to take the chorus.

"_Sweet creature, sweet creature  
Wherever I go, you bring me home  
Sweet creature, sweet creature  
When I run out of road, you bring me home_"

Several of the Warblers, including the three members of the council, were on their way to lunch and had come into the hallway where the boys were singing. They were amazed by Kurt's voice, now able to hear it by itself and not harmonizing with all of them. They were even more impressed with his voice than they had been in the senior commons.

The next two verses, both boys sang, Blaine harmonizing with Kurt.

"_Sweet creature  
We're running through the garden  
Oh, where nothing bothered us  
But we're still young  
I always think about you and how we don't speak enough_

_And oh we started  
Two hearts in one home  
I know, it's hard when we argue  
We're both stubborn  
I know, but oh_"

By the time the two boys said the words, "_I know_," all of the Warblers were in the hallway and were thoroughly enjoying the show. Once again, Kurt took the chorus alone.

"_Sweet creature, sweet creature  
Wherever I go, you bring me home  
Sweet creature, sweet creature  
When I run out of road, you bring me home_"

Blaine didn't sing the rest of the song. He was in awe of Kurt's range and the clarity of his voice. The original had nothing on his soulmate's version, and Blaine was sort of obsessed with Harry Styles.

"Your voice is stunning," Blaine said breathily.

"I second that," a voice called from behind them.

Kurt whipped around, and his face instantaneously turned scarlet. Blaine knew that Kurt would have run away again had he not been holding his hand. Blaine tightened his grip and whispered in his ear, "You're safe here, Kurt. These guys will never hurt you." He straightened up and announced, "Kurt, meet the Warblers. Warblers, officially meet Kurt Hummel, Dalton's newest student and boarder. D, meet your new roommate!" He smiled broadly at his classmate.

"No sh—joke, really?" a tall black boy said, stepping forward to shake Kurt's hand and meet him properly. "I'm David. Please tell me you'll join the Warblers? I'm sure there will have to be an official ruling. But, with that performance, I'm pretty sure you're in.

"Seriously?" Kurt asked.

"Told you," Blaine replied cheekily.

"David's right," another boy said as he came forward to meet Kurt. "I'm Wes, and it would be so amazing to have you as part of the group! Thad, what do we formally need to do now?"

The other Warblers were all talking, but Kurt couldn't hear what they were saying. "They want me?" he thought. "I don't understand. Are they playing some joke? Surely Blaine wouldn't let them do something like that. Unless he's in on it. No, he can't be. Fuck all of you assholes for making me think these thoughts!" Kurt took a deep breath, trying his best to drown out all of the negative thoughts flying around in his head.

"Blaine," he heard someone say, though it sounded like the speaker was underwater, "take him into our room. It looks like he's having some kind of flashback or something. I used to get them all the time."

Kurt felt himself being led into a room and sat down on a bed.

"Can you try to match your breathing to mine?" the voice asked him. The boy, David, then made big, exaggerated breaths. After a couple of minutes, Kurt's breathing had evened out, and he opened his eyes.

"You okay?" David asked.

"I think so," Kurt answered. "I'm sorry I caused a scene. I just got stuck in my head."

"There's no need to apologize," Blaine said, Kurt's hand still firmly in his. He gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You're safe here."

"I'm wondering, maybe, if that's why that happened?" Kurt wondered aloud. "At McKinley, I was constantly keeping my guard up. I always had to be on my toes because if I wasn't, any number of things would happen."

"Things like what?" David asked, curious to learn more about the boy who would be rooming with him.

"Name-calling," Kurt began. "Lots and lots of name-calling. The dumpster tosses died down after Noah and I became friends, but none of the rest of the bullying did. I'd get hit with a slushie at least once a day. And the locker checks happened multiple times a day." Kurt's voice was a whisper by the end of his explanation.

"Where were all of the adults?" Blaine asked, outraged.

"They didn't care," Kurt answered him. He turned toward his soulmate and noticed unshed tears in Blaine's eyes, though he couldn't decide if they were from what he had said or a more personal reason.

"Nothing like that will ever happen to you here, Kurt," David promised, knowing why Blaine was so upset and wanting to give him a moment to compose himself. "This school is amazing. Before I came here, I was at a public school in Tennessee, and there was a lot of prejudice towards African Americans. The names they called me hurt, but nothing hurt worse than the beating I got. One day, I had to talk to the preacher's daughter about an English assignment we were supposed to be working on together. She was the prettiest girl in the school, and some of my classmates weren't thrilled about her talking to a boy of color. So, they cornered me after school that day and beat me up, worse than I'd ever been beaten up before. After I recovered, my parents pulled me out of school, and thankfully, they were able to find new jobs in Columbia."

"I'm so sorry that happened to you," Kurt said, sympathetic to his new roommates plight.

"Thanks," David said. "Well, I'll give you two a little bit to talk. I gather your dad is finishing up the transfer paperwork?"

"Yeah," Kurt replied. He had forgotten momentarily that his dad was waiting on him.

"I'd say you have 30 minutes from when he started for him to get all of the way through it," David said. "Then, he'll either come looking for you, or you'll have to meet him back down there." With a wink, he left the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.

"I'm sorry I got so angry," Blaine said. "I'll explain more about why I had that reaction later if that's alright? I don't want to take up what little time we have right now with a sad story."

"That's fine," Kurt said, smiling shyly at his soulmate. "Can I...um…" He wasn't sure how to ask for what he wanted, but he knew he wanted to ask for it.

"Kurt," Blaine said, "you can ask me anything."

"Could I see your mark?" the boy asked after a couple of moments, deciding to just go with a direct approach.

"Of course," Blaine answered and took off his blazer and unbuttoned his left cuff. He rolled up the long, white sleeve to reveal a red puzzle piece that looked like it would fit inside Kurt's mark perfectly.

"They'd go together if they were touching," Kurt whispered.

"What do you mean?" Blaine asked.

Kurt rolled up the sleeve of his sweater and showed his mark to Blaine. Both boys felt an urge to put them together, though neither one knew why. There was never a 'pull' that had been described by either of their parents. Kurt remembered that his father had told him that by touching their marks, they could talk about anything they wanted to on their skin. Burt hadn't said anything about a deep desire or heavy longing to touch them, though. It almost felt like there were magnets beneath their skin, begging to connect.

"I can't tell if the want to put our marks together or kiss you is stronger," Blaine blurted out, not able to hold his feelings in anymore.

"Can we do both?" Kurt asked, almost whimpering. "Please?"

Blaine held his wrist out to Kurt, taking the initiative on that part, wanting to give Kurt the reins on the kiss. Both their marks and the boys' lips touched each other at the exact same time.

* * *

A/N: The song used is "Sweet Creature" by Harry Styles.


	7. All I Want is You

A/N: I fixed a timeline error in the previous chapter. The Warblers entered the hallway on their way to lunch. Also...my muse's name is Velma. So if anything happens that you don't like, please feel free to blame her!

* * *

Both boys felt an explosion of more feelings than they were really able to process when their lips and wrists made contact. It was overwhelming, and, at the same time, it wasn't. Kurt was feeling safe and a deep sense of trust in his soulmate. Blaine was feeling love and excitement. They weren't quite sure if it was the kiss or the touching of their marks that was intensifying their feelings.

Neither one was sure how long they sat there, lips and wrists touching. All they knew was that they never wanted to be away from each other again. When the kiss finally did break, both boys gasped for air.

"Wow," they said in unison then giggled.

"I should probably look around and then get back to my dad before he sends out a search party for me," Kurt joked.

The room wasn't anything spectacular, but it wasn't anything too shabby either. There were two full-sized beds, two dressers, and two desks. On each side of the room, next to the dressers, there was a door, which Kurt guessed led to a closet. There was yet another door on the left side of the room, David's side. Blaine saw Kurt surveying the room, and, when Kurt spotted the mystery door, he told him that it led to a joint bathroom they would share with him and Wes.

Kurt was silently running through all of the things he could bring to spruce up the place and was mentally cataloging his wardrobe. He knew he wouldn't need a lot of it since they wore uniforms at Dalton, but he'd still want something to change into each afternoon after classes were done.

"Before we head back down," Blaine started when Kurt looked back at him, "can I have your phone number?"

"Yeah," Kurt replied. "That would be great!"

For the first time since they had put their hands together, the boys let go of one another to grab their phones and exchange numbers. Then, they walked down to the headmaster's office and entered as Burt and Headmaster Kent were walking out.

"Ready to go, bud?" Burt asked, clapping his son on the shoulder.

"Yep!" Kurt answered, though he wasn't looking forward to letting go of Blaine's hand again. He knew, logically, that they would eventually have to let go; he just wasn't ready for it yet.

"Blaine," Burt said, "would you like to join us tomorrow night for supper? That is, if you can and it's alright with your parents."

"I will check with them, si-Burt," Blaine said. "I'm sure they won't mind at all. Kurt, I'll text you and let you know later, 'k?" He squeezed his soulmate's hand, delighted that texting one another was possible now.

"Okay," Kurt said, thankful for his dad's offer. "I'll talk to you later, Blaine. You should probably go catch up with the guys and eat. I haven't made you miss your lunchtime, have I?"

"No," Blaine said with a smile, knowing that he would have skipped his lunch to stay lip-locked with Kurt any day of the week. "I'll be able to grab something really quick if I head there now."

"Then, go, and I will talk to you later!" Kurt giggled, squeezing his soulmate's hand back. He really wanted to steal another kiss, but he wasn't quite sure how his dad and the headmaster would react. Blaine took the decision out of his hands and gave him a quick peck on the cheek before heading back the way they had come.

Burt and Kurt drove home and chatted about all of the things they needed to get done that weekend so that Kurt could start school on Monday. The first thing they needed to do when they got back to Lima was to go to the school and officially unenroll Kurt from McKinley.

After stopping for a quick lunch, they arrived at the school 30 minutes before the final bell and the beginning of glee. Kurt went with his dad to talk with Figgins and tell him that he would no longer be attending the school. Burt sited that the school was no longer safe for his son and kept it at that, knowing that Kurt would be upset if he gave any further information. He knew and appreciated that Kurt didn't want his son's bully to be outed, and he respected that, even though he didn't particularly like it. Figgins put up little fight and made no apologies for the lack of supervision at the school.

When they were done with Figgins, Burt and Kurt then walked to the choir room. Kurt was secretly glad that his dad was with him. He knew it wasn't going to be a good talk, and to be honest, he wasn't sure how Rachel would react.

As they got closer to the room, Kurt could hear a very familiar voice singing.

"_You say you'll give me  
__A highway with no one on it  
__Treasure just to look upon it  
__All the riches in the night_

_You say you'll give me  
__Eyes in a moon of blindness  
__A river in a time of dryness  
__A harbor in the tempest_

_But all the promises we make  
__From the cradle to the grave  
__When all I want is you_"

Kurt smiled. He'd always admired his friend's voice.

Puck had always felt inadequate. Quinn made him feel like he wasn't enough for her. He was thankful, now, that their marks didn't go together. He needed someone to guide him, to show him what true love was, without always feeling like he was overwhelming his partner at every turn.

Noah Puckerman had had a hard life. His dad had walked out on him and his mom when he was three, and they had struggled every day since then. Her mother, Noah's Nana, had let them move in with her, and that was the family's saving grace. Noah, or "Puck" to everyone but his Nana, Kurt, and Burt, physically rebelled when he got into middle school. He was pissed at his life, and he didn't know how else to express himself.

Before that, though, in elementary school, he just hadn't cared about anything. What teachers saw as stupidity or his inability to comprehend anything was really anger, coming out the only way he could think to release it. So, Noah had been held back a couple of years, and that was how he ended up in Kurt's class.

The two had become the most unlikely of friends. Noah was there for Kurt after his mom passed away, and Kurt was there to encourage Noah when he was angry at the world. Their friendship was just enough to keep Noah out of juvenile detention, but only just barely. As soon as he was old enough to work, Burt had given him a job at his garage. The boy had been there for his son on numerous occasions, and it was one way that he could repay him.

Noah had really lashed out against everyone when his Nanna had died a year ago. He was angry, angrier than he was when his dad had walked out, angrier than he was that his mom didn't give a shit about him or what he was doing, angrier than the time he found out his girlfriend had cheated on him with his best friend. The one thing that didn't waver, however, was his friendship with Kurt. Kurt was there for him when he needed someone the most and willingly took the brunt of his verbal abuse. He understood better than most that sometimes, people just needed to yell and feel like someone heard them.

Ideas were flying through Burt's head as he listened to Noah sing. He knew his story; the kid worked for him, and he almost felt like another son. The question would be, would Noah go for what he was thinking?

Kurt cleared his throat, not wanting to sneak up on his friend, and walked into the room with Burt on his heels. "Hey, Noah," he said.

"Hey, Pretty Boy," Puck greeted. "How was the visit to the Garblers or whatever?"

"Good," Kurt said. "We just—"

"KURT!" Rachel shrieked, leaping out of her seat. "Where have you been all day? My English presentation was awful, because you weren't here to listen and help me practice like you said you would."

Kurt closed his eyes and took a breath. He _so_ did not want to deal with Rachel today! Before he could respond, though, Puck and Santana were going off on her.

"Your English presentation sucked because you didn't practice, and your topic was boring as shit!" Puck replied.

"And, it isn't Porcelain's job to listen to your whiny ass! Now or ever!" Santana said.

Kurt was so surprised by the support that his classmates were giving him that he didn't hear Mr. Schue walk in the door.

"Guys," the teacher said, "we don't use that kind of language in my classroom." The director was utterly blinded by Rachel's talent, and he couldn't see her for who she really was. "Kurt, I thought you were gone today. What's up?"

"Well..." Kurt said, walking to the front of the class to face his peers. He looked down at his hand and saw that all of the messages he and Blaine had previously written that day were gone, and one word was now on his hand, "Courage!" It was almost as if his soulmate could sense his dread and fear and decided to send him a message to help him get through whatever it was he was about to face.

Kurt smiled and lifted his head. "As of about 15 minutes ago," he began confidently, "I am no longer enrolled at McKinley."

All hell broke loose. Mr. Schue tried to get the class under control, but there was so much yelling nobody could hear him. Burt saw his son starting to creep back in his shell, and he thought, "_Like hell will I allow that to happen!_"

"HEY!" he yelled, and the whole room went silent. Burt walked up next to his son and wrapped his arm around Kurt's shoulders. He asked Kurt, "Is there anything you want to say?" He tried to give his son an encouraging smile, but the look in his eyes told Burt that he was too stressed to say much more.

Kurt was so shocked and upset by the reaction that he just shook his head. In all honesty, he did have something to say, a lot of somethings to say. But now, he just couldn't. He looked to Noah and Santana, giving them each a little nod, a 'thank you' of sorts, and then he turned to walk out, his dad's arm never moving from its place around his shoulders.

* * *

A/N: The song used is "All I Want is You" by U2.


	8. Still Falling For You

After they got home from the school, Kurt went to his room to calm down for a few minutes. He exchanged some messages back and forth with Blaine before he went downstairs to cook supper. While he was cooking, he got to thinking that it was lovely that they still wrote on their skin, even after they had exchanged phone numbers and could have easily texted. Kurt loved seeing Blaine's handwriting, and the whole conversation felt more personable.

Burt and Kurt talked over dinner about the day and the fact that Kurt had met his soulmate. The blush on Kurt's cheeks didn't leave once while they were talking. There were some awkward moments where Burt made sure that Kurt knew what fully connecting with his soulmate would likely be like, but they did not discuss details. Burt had made sure that Kurt was well informed of the 'mechanics,' so to speak, of intimacy with both genders when he started high school. He explained that it didn't matter who Fate paired him with; what mattered was the connection and that the two of them were respectful of each other's boundaries and comfort levels.

After that talk two years ago, Kurt had allowed himself to fantasize about what that soulmate connection would be like between himself and his soulmate. He didn't picture a particular person but their presence and emotional connectivity to him. That same night, his imagination running wild, he came harder than he ever had in his life.

Since Kurt cooked, Burt told him he would clean up the supper dishes. Both men wanted to pick up the house some, knowing that Blaine would be joining them the following day at some point. Their house was never messy; neither one liked having clutter, so it wouldn't take them long. Burt also knew that Kurt would want to talk to Blaine that night, possibly Noah and that scary Latina girl.

Kurt quickly straightened up anything that needed it, went up to his room, and ran through his nighttime routine quickly, eager to talk to Blaine and Noah.

"_My girl went to the doctor cause her heart had palpitations  
__He said cut the carbs, or else she'd end up pushing up carnations  
__She stepped up on the scale and the doctor said, "Oh Lordy"  
__If you don't drop a few girl, you won't make it past age forty_"

His phone rang, and Kurt smiled as he answered, "Hello, Noah!"

"Hey, Princess," he replied. "You busy?"

"Nope. I just got through my moisturizing routine, and I'm getting ready to chat with Blaine," Kurt said.

"Good," Noah said. "Come let me in."

"What if I had been naked?" Kurt asked, laughing at his friend's spontaneity.

"Princess, you've got nothin' I haven't seen before! Now, open the damn door," Noah chuckled.

Kurt was now at the front door and smiled at his friend as he opened the door. When Noah was inside, Kurt found himself with his arms full of his friend. "I missed you, too, Noah!" he giggled.

"It's gonna suck Azimo's balls to not see you all the time," Noah whispered. Kurt, and sometimes Burt, were the only people Noah ever showed any vulnerability around.

"Yeah, it is!" Kurt said, hugging his friend back, matching Noah's strength.

"Wanna go upstairs and tell me about whoever this Blaine character is? Or should we stay down here?" Noah asked, unsure if Burt knew about any of this.

"Upstairs is fine; he's already met him," Kurt answered, knowing exactly what his friend was thinking, and the pair headed upstairs to Kurt's room. Once they were settled against the head of his bed, shoulders touching, Kurt asked, "So, what do you want to know?"

"Who is he? I thought you were against dating before you met your sou...is _he_ your soulmate?" Noah asked, shocked as he realized what was probably going on.

Kurt smiled a fond smile. "He is one and the same. He's also the lead singer of the Warblers and my new next-door neighbor in the dorm rooms. It all just kind of fell together today. So, thank you, because even if I wasn't transferring, I would have met him today."

"I'm so happy for you, Kurt!" Noah said and gave his friend a fist-bump. "So, is it everything you hoped it would be?"

"It's even better," Kurt replied. "We…" Kurt started, a blush rising high on his cheeks. He and Noah had been pretty good friends for a while. He wasn't sure, however, how Noah would respond to Kurt talking about Blaine more than just surface stuff.

"What is it, Princess?" Noah asked. "You can tell me anything, you know that dude."

"We kissed," Kurt said in a rush. "And touched our marks together."

Noah sat there slack-jawed. It wasn't that he thought his friend was a prude or anything. He wasn't sure why the news that Kurt had just told him shocked him so much, but it did. "Damn! Get some, Hummel!"

"It was pretty amazing!" Kurt said, blush rising higher on his cheeks just as a new message showed up on his left forearm. "Hey, Kurt!"

"Hey, Blaine! How's your evening been?"

"Well, it looks like you're going to be busy for a little bit," Noah said as he watched the message his friend was writing. "I'm going to go down and talk to your dad for a bit and then head home. I have the early shift at the shop tomorrow, and Mom's at work tonight; so, at least it will be a quiet evening."

Kurt hugged his friend again and told him goodbye. Sometimes, Kurt wished that Noah could live with him instead of the toxic environment he did live in. "Noah?" he asked before his friend had made it completely out the door.

"Yeah?" he answered.

Kurt noticed another message appear on his arm but finished his talk with his friend first. "Blaine is coming over tomorrow, and I would love for you to meet him. Would you want to?"

"You've got it, Princess!" Noah answered with a huge grin on his face, knowing how much trust Kurt had in him if he was asking him to meet his soulmate the day after they had met.

Kurt sat back down on his bed after making sure he had his 'erasing' supplies and read over the most recent message that Blaine had sent. "It was good. I missed you though. Is that weird? To have missed you? I mean, we only just met, and now I'm rambling... And, you're going to see it. I'm going to stop now."

Kurt giggled at this and replied back, "I missed you too!"

The boys talked for another 15 minutes on their skin then opted to call each other. Their hands weren't used to writing so much, and they were getting cramps. They planned out a time to meet the following day, and Blaine was very excited to meet Kurt's best friend. Before they got off the phone that night, they had talked about a lot of little things, neither wanting to delve into anything too deep.

Kurt went grocery shopping while his dad went to the shop for a few hours the next day. He planned to make a simple pasta dish that he loved. It was healthy, so it would meet his dad's dietary restrictions; and, it was tasty, which would meet his desire to impress Blaine. At the store, he purchased the angel hair pasta, chicken, zucchini, yellow squash, sweet onion, and all of the ingredients for the alfredo sauce. He also bought everything to make a flourless chocolate cake. None of them had any gluten allergies, but it tasted amazing and looked really fancy.

Kurt spent the day packing some of his belongings to take to Dalton. He wanted to keep himself busy or else he knew he would go stir crazy in anticipation for his afternoon and evening with Blaine. Burt came home around noon, and Noah joined them 30 minutes later. They were all enjoying each other's company when the doorbell rang around 2:00. Kurt sprang up to answer it, knowing that his dad and best friend would likely embarrass him if they were given the chance. He knew it was inevitable that it would happen, and he wanted to prolong it as long as possible.

"Hi," Kurt said, taking in the sight of his soulmate. Blaine was wearing grey slacks, a green and white checkered button-up, a green bowtie, and green suspenders. "You look amazing," he said and kissed his soulmate's cheek before gesturing for him to come into the house.

"Thank you," Blaine said, blushing. He really wanted to hold his soulmate's hand, but he wasn't quite sure how Burt would react. So, he didn't and followed Kurt into the living room where Burt and another teenager were watching basketball.

"Blaine," Kurt said, "you've already met my dad. This is Noah Puckerman, my best friend. Noah, this is Blaine Anderson, my soulmate."

The two boys shook hands, and the room was quiet. Burt decided to break the silence and ask Blaine about himself. The afternoon and evening were a wonderful mix of talking and food. They even broke out a board game at one point. It was the most fun any of them had had in a really long time.

Before it got too late, Kurt asked Blaine about what he should pack for his move to Dalton the following night. Blaine told him to bring comfortable clothes because once school was out and clubs were over, the uniforms were optional and not many students kept them on longer than they had to. He also told him that David had a TV and Blu-ray player so to bring any movies he might want.

Kurt walked Blaine to his car when it was time for him to leave. He hadn't had any alone time with the boy that day, and he was longing for another kiss. Blaine must have sensed it because once they were alone, he pinned Kurt to the side of his car and pressed a searing kiss to his lips. Kurt moaned into the kiss and wrapped his arms around Blaine's neck, holding him there for as long as their lungs could hold out.

"Drive safe," Kurt said a little breathlessly. "Please let me know when you make it back."

Blaine pecked Kurt again, "I will." He kissed him one more time and then got into his car, his smile never leaving his face.

After Blaine left, Kurt thought about the whole day and his ever-growing feelings for his soulmate. As he was going through things to pack for Dalton, Kurt started singing:

"_Fire and ice  
__This love is like fire and ice  
__This love is like rain and blue skies  
__This love is like sun on the rise  
__This love got me rolling the dice  
__Don't let me lose  
__Still falling for you  
__Still falling for you_"

* * *

A/N: Noah's ringtone is "Big Ass Heart" sung by him in Glee. The song used at the end is "Still Falling For You" by Ellie Goulding


	9. Only Us

A/N: My week-long training is complete and I am back and able to finish this story up. Thank you for being patient with me.

* * *

Kurt spent all of Sunday packing and talking back and forth with Blaine. At times, it was definitely easier for the two of them to write on their skin. Their hands were becoming more used to all of the writing, but sometimes, they liked to text or talk to one another on the phone. It was easier, but nothing could replace the intimacy of writing on their skin.

He was excited to see Blaine more often for sure, but he was having mixed emotions. He knew he was going to miss seeing his dad and Noah every day.

"Hey, are you okay?" Blaine asked, having sensed his soulmate's melancholy mood.

"Yeah," Kurt answered. "I'm just thinking about how much I'm going to miss my dad and Noah when I move to Dalton."

"It's going to be hard, I won't lie and tell you it won't. I will be there for you whenever you need me," Blaine answered.

"Thank you! That means more than you know," Kurt replied. "I'm going to finish getting my car loaded, and then, I'm heading that way."

A few moments later, the messages were erased and a new one appeared. "Drive safe, and call me if you need to."

"I will," Kurt replied, loving that his soulmate was so concerned about his safety already.

"You about ready to go, bud?" Burt asked his son as he walked into his much less decorated bedroom.

"Yeah," Kurt answered, trying not to break down into tears. "I only have this one box left to take to the car."

"Wanna talk about it?" Burt asked. He hated to see his kid crying.

"I'm just having a hard time with the thought of leaving," Kurt said. "I'm worried about you. I'm worried about Noah. I'm worried about forgetting Mom if I'm not here, surrounded by her stuff. I'm worried about being the new kid in school. I'm just...worried, Dad, and I don't know how to ease any of it." He hung his head, defeated.

"Breathe." A new message came through on Kurt's left hand.

"I know this is going to be hard, kiddo," Burt said. "It's going to be hard on all of us. But, it's something I think we can all work through. Your safety is worth a little distance, don't you think?"

"I know you're right," Kurt said. "And, I know that you're only a couple of hours away and that I will have Blaine right there to help me if I need him. But, what if it's not enough? What if I have a panic attack or something, and he can't calm me down?"

"Then, you call me, and I will come to you," Burt answered without hesitation. "No matter the time of day or what I'm doing, you are my priority."

Kurt took a deep breath, letting the words that his dad had said to him sink in. He nodded his head and said, "Okay. Okay, I think I'm ready to go. But, you really don't have to follow me up there just to help me unpack."

"It's really not a problem at all," Burt said, contemplating if he should tell Kurt his real plans or not. He wanted to ease his son's worry, but he didn't want him to get his hopes up just to have things not pan out. In the end, he decided against saying anything until he had more concrete answers.

Kurt and Burt drove separately to Dalton and arrived two hours later. Burt was not surprised at all to see Blaine there, ready to help move Kurt into the dorms, when they pulled in. What did surprise him was the four other guys there, ready to help. He hadn't expected, which in hindsight he should have, so many boys besides his son's soulmate there to help move him in.

Kurt was also surprised, as he had only been expecting Blaine to come and help. David, Wes, Nick, and Jeff were there too, ready and eager to help Kurt move in.

With all of the boys' help, it didn't take them long to get Kurt's things all moved in. Kurt allowed them to help unpack some, though he only let Jeff help with his clothes since he was the only one who showed any respect for the garments. He hoped that the blond and himself would become great friends as he didn't really have anyone else in his life that got his obsession with fashion.

Kurt walked with his dad outside when he was all unpacked and it was time for his dad to head back to Lima. "I'm going to miss you so much, Dad," Kurt said to him and hugged him tightly. He was trying his hardest to not let the tears that were in his eyes spill over.

"I'm going to miss you too, Kurt," Burt said, trying to keep his tears in, too. "Call me tomorrow, and let me know how your first day went, okay?"

"Okay," Kurt said. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you, too, bud," Burt replied and kissed the top of his head before getting into his truck and leaving the campus.

Kurt felt a body come up behind him as his dad drove away, and he knew in an instant that it was his soulmate. "You doing okay?" Blaine whispered.

"Not really," Kurt answered honestly. His eyes were misty, and it was hard to speak. Still, he tried to gather his courage. "But, I will be soon."

"Are you ready to go back inside, or do you need a few more minutes?" Blaine asked, kissing Kurt's cheek.

"I think I'm ready to go inside," Kurt answered. "I'd like to take a look at my schedule and maybe try to get some idea of where I'm supposed to go tomorrow."

Blaine laced his fingers with Kurt's and walked them back into the dorm. "I can look over your schedule with you and see if we have any classes together if you'd like."

"That would be great," Kurt said. He was secretly glad Blaine wanted to help him look over it; he wasn't ready to be apart from him so soon after his dad left.

It turned out that Kurt had all of his classes with either Blaine or David, except French, which he had with Jeff. It was a relief to him to know he'd always have someone else he knew in the classroom with him. That night, Kurt laid out his uniform and got everything ready that he would need for the following day. He wanted his morning to go as smoothly as possible

Kurt woke up bright and early the next morning, showered, coiffed his hair, and got into the very un-form fitting uniform. It was too boxy and didn't hug his ass like his skinny jeans; his ass was definitely something he liked to accentuate. After he was ready, he and David met Blaine and Wes in the cafeteria for breakfast before heading to their morning classes. Kurt loved all of his classes. They were much harder than at McKinley, but the boys seemed to want to learn and not just be there because they had to. The teachers, by the same account, wanted to be there as well and were passionate about the subjects they were teaching.

As the day progressed, Kurt was both nervous and excited about the Warblers meeting that afternoon. He knew he would have to have an official audition. Wes had come to him last evening as he was finishing unpacking things and broke the news to him. It wasn't that big of a deal for Kurt. He loved to sing and had thought of the perfect song from one of his favorite musicals.

Kurt joined the other Warblers in the choir room after classes let out that afternoon. Wes banged his gavel three times and called the meeting to order. "We've all heard him sing," Wes began. "Well, I think we all have, at least. Regardless, Kurt Hummel will officially audition for the Warblers today. Kurt, please come to the front and tell us your year in school, your vocal range, and a little about the song you chose."

Kurt took a deep breath, went to the front of the room, and handed his phone to David, his song already cued up. He knew he was going to disclose something personal to the group, and he was hoping they wouldn't look down upon him for it. When he got to the front, his eyes quickly found Blaine's, and those golden pools calmed him down immediately.

"Hello everyone!" Kurt said. "My name is Kurt Hummel. I am a junior and a countertenor. The song I chose is "Only Us" by Laura Dreyfuss and Ben Platt from _Dear Evan Hansen_. I know it's a duet, but I plan to sing it as a solo." He took another breath, preparing for the why. "I've always known I was different. And, it wasn't until I got into middle school that others let me know on a daily basis how different I am. It was in high school, though, that this really became a problem. I didn't have anxiety like Evan did in the show. I did, however, contemplate if anyone could or would hear me. This song…" He swallowed. "It gave me hope. Hope that my soulmate, wherever they were, would stand by me and hear me, no matter what."

Kurt already had unshed tears in his eyes, and if he had looked anywhere besides at Blaine, he would have seen that every single boy in the room did as well. David started the music, sensing that Kurt was finished talking.

_"I don't need you to sell me on reasons to want you  
I don't need you to search for the proof that I should  
You don't have to convince me  
You don't have to be scared you're not enough  
'Cause what we've got going is good_

_I don't need more reminders of all that's been broken  
I don't need you to fix what I'd rather forget  
Clear the slate and start over  
Try to quiet the noises in your head  
We can't compete with all that"_

Kurt kept eye contact with Blaine the whole time he sang. He let all of the hurt and pain he had suffered at the hands of his tormentors leave his body. He let himself start to believe that the things they had said, the terrible things he had started to believe about himself, were made up. It felt good to let go, to give up all of the negativity that had been weighing him down at McKinley. It was almost like with the words he sang came the release of the darkness and toxicity inside him. He began to feel whole again, more complete, as he left what had happened to him behind, starting his new life at his new school with a clean slate and a clearer mind.

_"So what if it's us?  
What if it's us  
And only us  
And what came before won't count anymore or matter?  
Can we try that?_

_What if it's you  
And what if it's me  
And what if that's all that we need it to be  
And the rest of the world falls away?  
What do you say?"_

Blaine quickly looked over toward the Warbler council, asking with his eyes and a small gesture if he could please sing with his soulmate. The three council members shared a quick glance with each other and nodded back to Blaine that he could. Kurt was technically in the group already; this was just a formality.

Blaine started singing, "_I never thought there'd be someone like you who would want me."  
_Kurt answered, "_Well…_" understanding that this song would be a duet and loving the chance to get to sing with his soulmate.

Blaine continued.

_"So I give you ten thousand reasons to not let me go  
But if you really see me  
If you like me for me and nothing else  
Well, that's all that I've wanted for longer than you could possibly know_

_So it can be us  
It can be us  
And only us  
And what came before won't count anymore or matter  
We can try that"_

Blaine knew that he never, ever, wanted Kurt to feel like he didn't matter anymore, that he wasn't loved and cared for. That he wasn't heard. It broke his heart to even think about Kurt taking such drastic measures as Evan did, because he wasn't feeling heard by those around him.

_"It's not so impossible (both)  
Nobody else but the two of us here (Blaine)  
'Cause you're saying it's possible (both)  
We can just watch the whole world disappear (Kurt)_

_'Til you're the only one (both)  
I still know how to see  
It's just you and me" (Blaine)_

The boys finished the song off together, staring deep into each other's eyes and pouring every ounce of feeling they had into the words they were singing to each other.

_"It'll be us  
It'll be us  
And only us  
And what came before won't count anymore_

_We can try that  
You and me  
That's all that we need it to be  
And the rest of the world falls away  
And the rest of the world falls away_

_The world falls away  
The world falls away  
And it's only us"_

They inched toward each other and ended up in each other's arms, sharing a kiss. They were so wrapped up in each other's presence that they didn't hear the clapping and the sniffling surrounding them.

"Kurt," Wes said and patted the younger boy on the shoulder, effectively breaking his and Blaine's kiss, "welcome to the Warblers!"

He and Blaine had been so wrapped up in their kiss, they hadn't heard Wes take the official vote. So, he leaned back marginally from his soulmate to give everyone a broad smile before he looked back into Blaine's beautiful eyes.

* * *

A/N: The song used is "Only Us" from Dear Evan Hansen. I was so excited when I saw this song. A friend and I saw the show last year, and I ugly cried multiple times. I loved it and if you ever get a chance to see it, I highly recommend it.


	10. Two Is Better Than One

A/N: I blame Velma for where this chapter went. I had to stop several times while writing it...feel free to curse all you want at her. I called her several names while writing! Seriously...she's kind of a bitch in this chapter, but by the end, she's nice again.

Thank you, as always, to my wonderful beta and biggest cheerleader teddyshoney. All mistakes, in the end, are my own.

WARNING: Minor Character Death; Racism; Referenced Suicide

* * *

Kurt's first week at Dalton was magical, to say the least. He loved every single one of his classes and looked forward to Warblers practice each day. Since sectionals were coming up, they were practicing more often than normal. Kurt called his dad after he officially made the team, and Burt couldn't have been prouder of his son. He had received some good news himself earlier that day; now, he just had to figure out how to tell Kurt about it.

The thing Kurt loved most about Dalton, though, was getting to spend so much time with his soulmate. Each afternoon, the boys would get a couple of uninterrupted hours with each other. Their roommates were amazing and would hang out in whichever room the boys weren't in. For the first part of their time, Kurt insisted that they get their homework completed.

"I don't want the people who gave me this scholarship to ever regret it," Kurt said to him one day when Blaine was trying to kiss his neck instead of writing his history paper. "This opportunity means a lot to me, and I won't waste it."

"I know for a fact that they could never regret giving the scholarship to you," Blaine responded, not really thinking about what he was saying. Kurt's scent was driving him crazy.

"How would you know that?" Kurt asked, curious.

Blaine's eyes bugged out of his head, realizing the information he had just given away. "Umm…"

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Kurt said, sensing the hurt coming from his soulmate. He stopped what he was doing and guided Blaine to his bed since they were in Kurt's room today.

"I want to tell you," Blaine whispered. "I think, though, I might need David and Wes to get through it if that's okay."

Kurt kissed Blaine's cheek and got out his phone to text his roommate. The two boys readjusted on the bed so that their backs were against the wall, leaving space for David and Wes when they got there. Kurt had his arm wrapped around Blaine's waist and was giving off as much comfort through their bond as he could. He was worried about his soulmate. He'd never seen or felt him this upset before.

When David and Wes came into the room, they knew, just by the look of defeat and pain on Blaine's face, what this was about. Wes sat down next to Blaine, and David pulled up one of the desk chairs to sit in front of him. Blaine was surrounded on all sides. He could feel the warmth and comfort coming from all of them, doubly from his bond with Kurt.

"My parents and another family were the ones who started the scholarship fund," Blaine whispered. "I was sort of an 'oops' baby. My brother is 10 years older than me, and my sister was 5 years older than him. I think Mom had just found out she was pregnant with me when Abigail got her mark."

"Was?" Kurt questioned.

"Yeah," Blaine answered. He cleared his throat before continuing. "Abigail was so excited to get her mark. She got it on her 16th birthday, so she knew that she was the younger of the two in her pairing. Her mark was a lighthouse on her left middle finger. She went to school that day and was so excited to tell her best friend about her mark. When she found him at his locker, she discovered that her best friend _was_ her soulmate. He had just gotten his mark that morning, too, a sailboat on his left middle finger. The two of them had always joked that they could help guide each other through anything. They were so excited they kissed right there in the hallway." Blaine stopped to take a breath and gather his thoughts.

Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand and kissed his temple. "It sounds like a fairytale, getting to spend the rest of your life with your best friend. I'm guessing that there's more to the story?"

"Yeah," Blaine whispered. "Elijah and Abigail were so excited that they didn't notice the stares and whispers around them. My sister was a beautiful girl. She had long, curly, black hair and was the perfect blend of my parents. All of the guys wanted to date her, and some of the girls, too. She was also the kindest soul you could ever meet. Or at least, that's what I'm told. I never got to meet her, but my parents and Coop tell me stories about her."

Another deep breath. Wes and David were silent; they had heard the story before. They knew what was coming, and they were preparing themselves for the emotions they knew would hit them hard.

"Before my parents moved to Westerville," Blaine continued, "they lived in a rural community in Kansas. There wasn't a whole lot of diversity there, so when Elijah and his family moved to the area, Abigail was immediately drawn to him. They were kindred spirits and became best friends, inseparable almost. Anyway, the community was very backward in their thinking. If you weren't white, Christian, and Republican, you were an outcast. If you were two out of the three, you were acceptable, though not preferential. We were two of the three; my mom is from the Philippines. So, when some of the 'popular' kids saw Abigail and Elijah kissing, they didn't like it. Not at all. It didn't matter to them that they were soulmates. All that mattered was that that 'colored kid' was corrupting the homecoming queen."

Another breath. Tears were now trickling down Blaine and David's faces. "That day, after school, the jocks had orchestrated something horrible. The sports teams were between seasons, so there weren't any afterschool activities going on at all. All of the teachers bolted on these days, not needing to stay at the school for anything. Abigail and Elijah were by his car, talking about whose parents to tell first when Elijah was grabbed suddenly and dragged behind the school. Abigail jumped up to go after him, but they grabbed her, too. She was screaming and telling them to let him go. They didn't listen though."

Sobs wracked through Blaine's body. David was full-on crying now. Wes was holding both of their hands. And Kurt...Kurt was trying to understand how people could be so cruel. He had lived through some horrible things, and he wasn't quite sure if Elijah made it. In fact, he was certain he didn't.

"Dad was worried when Abigail didn't come home, so he went to the school to see if she was still there," Blaine continued. "He saw Abigail and Elijah's vehicles in the parking lot, but that was it. He got out of his car, heard Abigail's cries, and ran toward the sound. When he found her, she was holding Elijah's lifeless body. They had killed him and then left when they realized how far they had gone. Dad was speechless. He told me later on when I asked about the scholarship and why it was started that the thing that will always stick out in his mind about that moment was how Abigail was holding Elijah's hand, their marks resting side by side."

All four boys were weeping now. Wes had grabbed the box of tissues on Kurt's nightstand at some point, and all of them dried their faces and blew their noses. "Abigail never did recover. She tried to go back to school, but the pain of seeing her soulmate's attackers acting like they had done the world a favor, walking around and living their lives was too much for her. She took her own life a week later."

Another breath. Blaine had gotten through it. "So," he continued, his voice quiet and rough, "Mom and Dad decided that they didn't want to stay there anymore. They couldn't and wouldn't be around that much bigotry and prejudice. And, since both Elijah and Abigail were cremated, his parents and my parents decided to split their ashes and combine them so that they would always be together. Neither set of parents could lay their children to rest in such a place. Some people would think that's kind of morbid, but it works for us. And, it helps to remind us that love is so much stronger than hate. Because of them, we've been able to help so many students find a place to go to school and be accepted, no matter what. The community has helped sustain the scholarship, and it will continue to help kids for years and years to come."

Kurt took Blaine's face in his hands and turned it toward him. "Thank you for sharing that with me," Kurt said and gave Blaine the sweetest, softest kiss they had shared yet. When they pulled away, he gave Blaine a gentle smile, squeezing his hand tightly. He then turned to David and Wes. "Thank you both for being here, for supporting Blaine before I could find him. I'm so glad he hasn't had to go through these difficult times alone. You're amazing friends." He smiled at the boys, giving each of them a tight hug, too.

"Blaine is like our brother," Wes said, knowing David wouldn't be able to talk yet. "We will always be here for him, and you as well."

"Thank you," Kurt said, feeling a surge of appreciation from his and Blaine's bond.

"D?" Wes asked. "Wanna bunk in my room tonight?" He knew that Blaine likely wouldn't sleep well tonight, and he hoped that having Kurt near him would help ease the nightmares.

David agreed silently and started grabbing some clothes while Blaine and Kurt gave Wes a look of gratitude. "I'm going to run next door and grab some clothes," Blaine whispered to Kurt.

"Okay," Kurt whispered back and pecked his soulmate on the lips. "Hurry back."

When Blaine was out of the room, Wes spoke. "He might have nightmares tonight. Usually, we all have a slumber party after one of us has to relive something tragic like that. Do you want us to stay?"

"I'd like to try this on my own, if that's alright with the two of you," Kurt answered. "I promise that I will come to get you if I need you, though."

"That's what I thought you'd say," David said, speaking for the first time. "You're really good for him, Kurt."

All four boys went down to supper together, sitting at a corner table so they wouldn't have to interact with anyone. The other Warblers knew that when any of them sat at the table in the corner, they needed space, so nobody bothered them throughout their meal. After they had finished, they all went back to their rooms, showered quickly, and then settled down for the evening. They were all very glad that it was Thursday and they only had one more day of classes that week.

Blaine didn't have any nightmares that night, which surprised them all. He wondered if having Kurt next to him was the reason because, in his dream, he saw many strange things: a dark room, the two of them swimming in a pool surrounded by rock walls, the two of them dancing very close together in a nightclub, the two of them embracing with a crown on Kurt's head, the two of them sitting in a cave and petting wolves, Blaine in a leather jacket and Kurt in a cheerleading uniform, and the two of them playing on a playground as children. When he awoke the next morning, he looked at Kurt and knew that his soulmate had had the same dreams.

"I wonder what that was all about," Kurt said and then kissed Blaine on the lips. He loved waking up next to Blaine, cuddled like koalas and not even bothered by each other's morning breath.

"I'm not sure," Blaine answered. "Looks like a pretty amazing adventure though!"

The boys got up and ready for school, enjoying the domesticity of the morning routine. They held hands on the way to breakfast and all through the classes they had together. During the classes that they didn't have together, they wrote messages back and forth as discreetly as they could.

"How are you?" Kurt asked.

"I'm fine, baby," Blaine answered. "Is it okay that I called you that? I should have asked in person first."

"It's fine, honey," Kurt replied. "I actually kind of love it." He then drew a 'star,' which had become their signal that a teacher was either coming toward them or looking at them, and they needed to pay attention.

After Warblers rehearsal that afternoon, Kurt packed up to go home for the weekend. Blaine was also going home, and they were hoping that the two families could meet that Sunday for lunch.

"I'll miss you," Kurt said while hugging Blaine tightly. "I…"

"I love you, too," Blaine said, knowing without a doubt that this was what his soulmate was going to say. "I know that people will think it's too early, but our bond...it feels different, deeper, than any bond I've heard described. I know that I love you and that I'll do anything for you, no matter what it is."

Kurt was looking at his soulmate, shocked. "You do?" he asked with tears in his eyes. It still surprised him at times that he actually had found his soulmate and was worthy of the love that he felt every day. Being at Dalton was helping him heal. Just the knowledge that he wasn't going to get made fun of or be punished for who he was was doing wonders for him. Blaine and the Warblers were helping, too. He knew they would protect him. Now, all he had to do was get his head and his heart to agree so that the doubts he constantly carried around could fully leave.

"I really, really do," Blaine answered and kissed Kurt with all of the love and passion he could.

"Wow," Kurt breathed. "Every day that I'm here, that I'm connected to you, I believe that a little more. You're helping me heal the broken pieces of my heart, and I know that no matter what happens or what is said to me, I have you and our love to keep me going."

"You're amazing!" Blaine said and kissed Kurt again. Unintentionally, he moved closer, and their erections brushed up against each other, making them both moan loudly. "Wait," Blaine said, breaking their kiss just before it could grow more heated. "We need to stop. You need to get home before your dad comes looking for you, and I don't want to rush this, any of this."

"You're right," Kurt said, whining slightly. That had felt amazing, and he definitely wanted to do it again. "I don't want to rush it either. Raincheck?"

"Absofuckinglutely!" Blaine said, making Kurt laugh out loud.

"Goof," Kurt said and grabbed his bags. Blaine linked their hands together and escorted Kurt to his vehicle.

"Drive safely, and let me know when you make it home," Blaine requested once they were to Kurt's Navigator.

"I will," Kurt replied before getting in. "I love you, honey," he said, smiling like a fool.

"I love you, too, baby," Blaine replied and kissed him once more before he drove off.

Kurt got home that night just in time for supper. He was surprised to see Noah there and gave him a huge hug. Kurt hugged his dad next and then told them both he needed to text Blaine to let him know he'd made it safely. They both gave him a hard time but understood and were happy for him to have found someone who cared about him so much.

After they sat down and had a nice meal, Burt asked the two boys to go into the living room, because there was something he needed to talk to them both about. "Last week, I had a lot to think about and some decisions to make. Noah knows about some of them, but he doesn't necessarily know the outcomes."

"What do you mean, Dad?" Kurt asked. He was worried his dad was sick or something.

Burt told him what had transpired the weekend before.

"_Well, it looks like you're going to be busy for a little bit," Noah said as he watched the message his friend was writing. "I'm going to go down and talk to your dad for a bit and then head home. I have the early shift at the shop tomorrow, and Mom's at work tonight; so, at least it will be a quiet evening."_

_Kurt hugged his friend again and told him goodbye. Sometimes, Kurt wished that Noah could live with him instead of the toxic environment he did live in. "Noah?" he asked before his friend had made it completely out the door._

"_Yeah?" he answered._

_Kurt noticed another message appear on his arm but finished his talk with his friend first. "Blaine is coming over tomorrow, and I would love for you to meet him. Would you want to?"_

"_You've got it, Princess!" Noah answered with a huge grin on his face, knowing how much trust Kurt had in him if he was asking him to meet his soulmate the day after they had met._

"_You leavin', kid?" Burt asked when Noah got downstairs._

"_Wasn't planning to yet," Noah said and sat down on the sofa. "It's going to suck without him here."_

"_It is," Burt agreed. "I've been thinking...your mom still working all the time?"_

"_Yeah," Noah said sadly. "Even if she wasn't, she doesn't like me much. I've honestly thought about just getting my own place. My Nana left me a huge chunk of money that I already have access to."_

"_You could always move in with us," Burt offered. At the quizzical look Noah was giving him, Burt elaborated. "I can't be this far away from Kurt yet. I know that once he graduates next year he's going to leave, and I will have to figure out what to do from there. But, right now, I just can't do it. This week has been hell. It's only going to be worse when I can't see him every day. So, I've been doing some thinking, and I'm going to see what's available in Westerville. Open up a new shop if I can find the right one and have Mark manage the one here. I'd love to have someone who knows what they're doing to help me out, and I know you'll miss him as much as I do, even if you won't admit it out loud."_

"_Are you for fucking real?" Noah answered. "There's no way my grades are good enough to get into that fancy school, though." Noah bowed his head, pissed at himself for getting his hopes up. He'd always sucked at school, and it kept him from doing so many things he wanted to do. _

"_You'd be surprised," Burt replied. "You're smart, Noah. The principal there is amazing, and if you'd like, I'll go and talk to him with you, when and if you decide that it might be an option. I'm determined to find something there and make it work. So, the offer is on the table if you want it." He smiled warmly at the boy he already thought of as a second son._

"_I'll think about it, Burt," Noah said. "I'm going to head home now. See you in the morning."_

"_Good night, Noah," Burt said and walked him to the door. It surprised both of them when Noah hugged Burt goodbye, whispering a soft 'thank you' into the older man's shoulder._

_After Noah left, Burt got on the internet and looked for prospective places to open a shop in Westerville. The next day, he left the shop a little early. There was one place he needed to go, and one person he needed to talk to before he made any concrete decisions. _

_As he turned into the cemetery and parked his truck under the familiar oak tree, he took a deep breath, knowing that the visit was going to be an emotional one. Burt got out of his truck and walked the path he had walked a hundred times before to the back corner of the cemetery. Elizabeth's grave was set under an old, branching elm tree. A lilac bush sat on one side of her headstone, and grasslands lay behind it. Burt sat down under the tree and breathed in the smell of the lilacs. _

"_He found his soulmate, Lizzy," Burt said, looking at the marble headstone with his wife's name on it._

**Elizabeth Marie Hummel**  
**Friend, Soulmate, Wife, Mother**  
**"There's always the next time."**

"_He found him because I couldn't keep him safe here," Burt whispered. "I know I can't always protect him, but the bullying had been going on for years, and I didn't stop it. Granted, I didn't really know the extent of what was happening, but I should have. I'm his father. You would have known after the first time." He took a deep breath. Being self-deprecating wasn't going to change the past. _

"_I've figured out our next time, though," Burt chuckled, remembering what Elizabeth would always tell him when she kicked his ass at Pac-Man in their youth: 'There's always next time.' "I'm going to look for a shop in Westerville. I need to be close to him. I'm just not ready to let him go yet. And, that means that we'll be moving there. I'm just going to miss you and our house so damn much. I know you're not really here, but I feel better when I can come here and talk to you." Just then, a gust of wind blew, and the scent of the lilacs grew stronger. Burt chuckled again, understanding what the sign meant. _

_Burt took another deep breath and started to sing._

"_I remember what you wore on our first date  
__You came into my life  
__And I thought hey  
__You know this could be something  
__'Cause everything you do and words you say  
__You know that it all takes my breath away  
__And now I'm left with nothing_

_So maybe it's true, that I can't live without you  
__Well maybe two is better than one  
__There's so much time, to figure out the rest of my life  
__And you've already got me coming undone  
__And I'm thinking two, is better than one_

_I remember every look upon your face,  
__The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste  
__You make it hard for breathing  
__'Cause when I close my eyes and drift away  
__I think of you and everything's okay  
__I'm finally now believin'"_

"_We'll always keep you with us," Burt said. "I love you, Lizzy, now and forever."_

"I found a shop to look at and put in an offer on it," Burt continued after telling both boys about his decision to move. "The offer was accepted. Now, the only thing we need to decide is if the house we're going to look for will have three bedrooms or four."

Both Kurt and Burt looked at Noah, knowing that he would be the deciding factor on the size of the house. They liked having a guest room, just in case any family or friends wanted to stay over.

"You both really want me to come live with you?" Noah asked. It was hard for him to believe that anybody could really want him.

"Are you kidding me?" Kurt said. "I've always wanted a brother, and who better to be my brother than my best friend?"

"I've been doin' a lot of thinkin' since I talked to Burt last week," Noah said quietly. "And, I'd really like to come with you. Hopefully, I can get into Dalton and afford the tuition."

"I'm sure if you can't," Kurt said, "you can apply for the scholarship I am getting. It can be used for all sorts of things, and if you tell your story, I'm sure they'll be able to help with the cost."

"Okay," Noah said. "I'm goin' home to talk to Mom. She's actually home tonight. I'll call and let you know how it goes." He smiled at them, secretly hoping for the best.

Kurt and Burt both hugged Noah before he left. Burt asked about school, and Kurt told him how all of his classes were going. He told him all about the Warblers and how he even had a part to sing at the upcoming Sectionals competition. When Kurt started yawning, Burt told him to go to bed and then asked him if he would help him look for houses the following day. Kurt, of course, agreed to help and then went upstairs to bed.

After he showered and got his pajamas on, Kurt texted Blaine to see if he was free to talk, not wanting to write on his skin after having just showered. Blaine said he was free, and the two talked for about an hour before falling asleep. Kurt told him all about what had transpired that evening and asked if he and his parents would like to come for supper the following evening instead of on Sunday. Blaine said he would ask but didn't think it would be a problem since they didn't have any other plans that he knew of.

Before falling asleep, Kurt drew half of a heart on his left index finger, and in seconds the other half was completed. Both boys fell asleep with smiles on their faces.

The next day, Kurt woke up and went downstairs to make some coffee and breakfast. He noticed a person sleeping on their couch, so he tiptoed into the kitchen and was happy to see his dad was already awake.

"Who's that?" Kurt whispered, jerking this thumb toward the living room.

"Noah," Burt whispered back. "After he talked to his mom, she kicked him out. So, he got all of his stuff and called me. Looks like I'll be making a trip to Dalton on Monday. Even though he's 18, I want to be there with him when he talks to the headmaster and hopefully enrolls."

"You're pretty amazing, Dad," Kurt said with a huge smile on his face. He hugged his dad and then got to work making some chocolate chip pancakes. The smell of them woke his friend, and they all ate together before Burt and Noah had to go to the shop. Kurt joined them 30 minutes later after hearing from Blaine that he and his parents would love to come to supper that night. Blaine's parents wanted to bring a side dish for dinner, but Kurt told them just to bring themselves and warned Blaine that Noah would be there, too. He would fill him in later.

Blaine came to Lima a couple of hours before his parents did. They were in a board meeting for the scholarship foundation, and Kurt said he wanted to show Blaine something special. When he arrived, Kurt ran out to his car and hugged him like it had been weeks since they had seen each other instead of just a day.

"Would you mind driving?" Kurt asked after they detached their lips from each other. "I'll direct you where to go."

"As you wish," Blaine said as he stole one more peck and then led Kurt to the passenger side and helped him in.

Kurt gave directions, and before they knew it, Blaine was parking under an oak tree, Kurt leading him toward the back corner of the cemetery. The couple sat under the elm tree by the well-cared for grave, loving the smell of the fragrant lilac bush.

"I wanted you to meet my mom," Kurt said quietly. "Mom, this is Blaine Anderson, my soulmate. Blaine, this is my mom, Elizabeth Hummel."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Hummel," Blaine said.

The boys sat there and talked to Elizabeth for about an hour about school and the Warblers. Kurt told Blaine all about what had happened with Noah the night before and how they were hoping he would get into Dalton. He shared his concerns about Noah's grades, relaying to him how difficult Noah's life had been and how personally he would take the rejection if he didn't get into Dalton.

Sooner than he would have liked, Kurt said it was time to head back to the house so he could get everything prepared for Blaine's parents' arrival. Blaine asked if he could have a couple of minutes alone with Elizabeth, to which Kurt agreed, the smile never leaving his face.

"I promise," Blaine said once Kurt was back at the car, "that I won't let anything happen to him. I will keep him as safe as I can, and I will help him heal in every way that I know how. Thank you, Mrs. Hummel, for bringing him into this world. He's the most perfect person there is, and I'm so thankful that I get to spend the rest of my life loving him."

The rest of the evening went perfectly. Phillip and Marisol Anderson were two of the most genuine and down to earth people Burt, Kurt, and Noah had ever met. The evening was spent getting to know one another. The Anderson's were happy to hear that the scholarship Kurt had received was helping and hoped that Noah got in to Dalton as they would make sure he received the same help that Kurt had. Noah was just as responsible for keeping their son's soulmate safe as Burt was, after all.

When they were talking about how they wanted to move to Westerville, Burt said that he had found a house he loved and hoped that the boys liked it as well. Phillip asked which one it was, knowing several of the realtors in the area. When Burt said the address, all three Andrson's giggled.

"What's so funny?" Kurt asked, hoping it wasn't a junk house.

"That's the one right next to us," Blaine said, kissing his soulmate's temple. "The family who lived there moved to Florida not too long ago. It's a beautiful home, and it would be so amazing to have you all as neighbors."

"I agree with Blaine," Phillip said. "George is the realtor handling the sale. We can get you in touch with Leslie, that's who I would recommend, if you want to take a tour."

"That would be amazing!" Burt said. He really liked this family, and the prospect of living next to his son's future in-law's was a happy one indeed.

* * *

A/N: The song used in this chapter is "Two Is Better Than One" by Boys Like Girls.


	11. Happy With You

A/N: No bad stuff this chapter. Velma was on her very best behavior!

* * *

Burt set up a tour of the house the following afternoon. Leslie was beyond helpful and efficient. Burt also booked a hotel room for him and Noah for Sunday night, much to the chagrin of the Andersons. They offered to let them stay at their house, but Burt respectfully declined, more for Noah's sake than his own. He knew that the teen would not be comfortable in someone else's home.

The next day, Kurt, Burt, and Noah drove to Westerville to look at the house. It was perfect. It was a brick home, and the front door opened up to a small foyer. To the right was a formal living room with a fireplace, and to the left was a sunroom. If you went straight, you would ascend a beautiful, wooden staircase that led to the four bedrooms. Burt and Noah both agreed that Kurt could have the master suite, mainly because it had the biggest closet. There was one other bedroom with an en-suite bathroom that Burt had claimed as his. Noah wasn't picky; he was just happy to have a home.

The formal living room led right to the kitchen. It had been updated recently and had cherry cabinets, black marble countertops, and black appliances. Kurt wasn't fond of the appliance color, but it wasn't a deal-breaker for him. From there, you could enter the dining room, which Kurt said _had _to be painted. "This blue is way too dark, Dad."

Burt put in an offer for $15,000 less than the asking price. Leslie said that this was a fair offer considering how long the house had been on the market. The boys all met the Andersons for lunch at their favorite restaurant in Westerville, and before the meal was finished, the offer on the house was accepted. It would still be a little while before Burt could fully move in; he had to sell his house in Lima now.

After lunch, Kurt and Blaine went back to Dalton while Burt and Noah checked into their hotel. Burt showed Noah where the new shop would be, and they talked about life.

Since neither of their roommates was back yet, Kurt and Blaine enjoyed the time alone, even if it was a little awkward at times. They both felt like they were fumbling around, not wanting to cross any boundaries and not knowing what those boundaries might be.

The boys had been making out for a while; Blaine was glad he had texted Wes and let him know that they were in their room. He did not want to be interrupted today. "Kurt," Blaine panted between kisses. "Can we...can we talk for a little bit?"

Kurt gave Blaine one more peck and nodded his head. He knew they needed to talk; Blaine's lips were just very enticing. "Yeah. We really should before we go too much further, shouldn't we?"

Both boys sat up and leaned against the headboard, twining their hands together. "Do you want to start or should I?" Kurt asked.

"It really doesn't matter to me," Blaine answered. "I guess I can. Um, have you ever done anything with anyone else before?" He wondered if he should be a bit more specific, but he didn't know how to ask exactly what he was thinking.

"Not that matters," Kurt answered. "I kissed one of my closest friends, Brittany, last year. I hoped that by doing that and 'dating' her, the jocks would lay off. They didn't, and it felt all wrong. Mainly because she was a girl...that never felt right to me. Also, she wasn't my soulmate. I knew that deep down, even before either of us got our marks. What about you?"

"No," Blaine answered squeezing Kurt's hand. "It honestly never even crossed my mind. I always knew that nothing would feel right until I was with my soulmate. "

"I'm sorry," Kurt said, upset with himself for being so weak.

Blaine could feel the self-loathing coming from Kurt through their bond. He turned toward his soulmate and lifted his chin so that Kurt was looking into his eyes. "You have _nothing _to be sorry about. You did what you had to do to survive that place. If anyone knows what that is like, it's me. I'm not mad at you if that's what's running through that beautiful head."

"You are so amazing," Kurt said and surged toward Blaine for a kiss, not able to hold off any longer. After a few moments, Kurt broke away. He wanted to continue their conversation. "So, what are you comfortable with as far as moving forward? I know that I'm not ready for everything yet, but I'd be okay with starting over our clothes."

"Yeah," Blaine said, nodding fervently. "I'm not ready for everything yet, either. But, over our clothes sounds like a good place to start."

Hearing that, Kurt lay back down and guided Blaine on top of him. "Whenever I pictured this in my mind, and yes, I have pictured it many, many times, I've always been the bottom. Is that okay with you?"

Again nodding like a bobble-head, Blaine said, "I've always pictured myself as the top. So yeah, I'm definitely alright with this arrangement." He slid down so that he was on top of Kurt, pushing their erections together perfectly.

Both boys moaned loudly, not caring who heard them. "I'm not going to last very long," Kurt warned.

"Me either," Blaine agreed. "I love you, so, so much!" Then, he captured Kurt's lips and began to rock himself into Kurt, grinding down hard enough to make them both moan into each other's mouths.

"I'm close, honey," Kurt said after a few minutes, nearing the edge of bliss.

"Me too," Blaine said. "Cum with me, baby. Now!" Blaine recaptured Kurt's lips, drowning out the scream he let out as he came, and worked them both through their orgasm. It felt as though their orgasms were twice as wonderful as they had been before they bonded, and they both wondered if it was due to their bond. Were they feeling something more than just their own bliss?

Once they were both done, they shared lazy kisses and basked in the afterglow of their release. "I love you," Kurt said eventually, "and I need you to get off of me. This is starting to congeal, and it's feeling gross!"

Blaine chuckled, pecked Kurt once more, and lifted himself off of his soulmate. "You can have the bathroom first." He swept his hand in the direction of their shared en-suite.

"Normally," Kurt started, "I would argue with you. Right now, though, I'm not. This is nasty!" Kurt kissed Blaine one more time, ran to his room to get a change of clothes, and jumped in the shower.

Blaine texted Wes to let him know that the coast was clear, thanking him more than once for giving him and Kurt some time alone. When Wes came into the room, Kurt had just turned the shower off, so Blaine got up to get himself a change of clothes so he could shower. Wes took one look at his disheveled friend, raised an eyebrow, and walked over to give Blaine a fistbump. Blaine laughed at him and headed to the bathroom, eager to get out of his soiled clothes.

The evening concluded with the four suite-mates going to supper together in the cafeteria. They sat with the other Warblers that were on campus and talked about their weekend. Both boys wondered about the intensity of their earlier orgasms and decided they would talk to the other later.

The following day, Kurt and Blaine attended classes like normal, though their minds were not on what they were learning that morning. They were thinking about Noah's meeting with the headmaster, hoping that he would get into Dalton.

* * *

"Mr. Hummel, it's good to see you again," Headmaster Kent said as he shook Burt's hand.

"It's good to see you, too," Burt replied. "Thank you for seeing us on such short notice. This is Noah Puckerman."

"It's good to meet you, Mr. Puckerman," Headmaster Kent said and stuck his hand out for Noah to shake.

"Please, call me Puck or Noah," he answered as he shook the headmaster's hand. "Mr. Puckerman is my father, and I haven't seen him in years." He grinned, trying to ease some of the tension he felt rising in his belly.

"Noah, then," the headmaster replied. "What can I do for you today? The phone call I received from Mr. Hummel was fairly vague."

"Well," Noah began, "I want to enroll here. I, uh, I got kicked out of my mom's house on Friday and have been crashing at the Hummel's. Burt's planning on moving here to be closer to Kurt. And, honestly, I miss my best friend. My grades don't reflect my abilities, and I know that." He hung his head. "But, sir, if you give me a chance, I promise I won't let you down. This guy right here..." Noah continued, pointing at Burt, "he believes in me. And, for that alone, I will graduate with as high of a GPA as I can."

Headmaster Kent looked toward Burt who was nodding in agreement. "The kid is smart. Defiant sometimes, but smart," Burt said. "He works for me and has never missed a day, always goes above and beyond what he needs to. One of the conditions of me hiring him was that he had to keep his grades up. Since then, he's been pulling A's and B's, though his overall GPA won't reflect that right now."

"I think," the headmaster stated, "that Dalton would be lucky to have you. Will you be boarding?"

"Yes, he will be," Burt answered. At seeing Noah's confusion, he added, "Boarding here is an all or nothing kind of thing, meaning that you either pay to board year-round or not at all, which I'm totally on board with. Since our house won't be ready for a while and I want you to start as soon as possible, this is what we're doing, and I will pay for the extra." Turning back to the headmaster, he continued, "We wanted to see if that scholarship Kurt got was available so Noah doesn't have to use too much of the inheritance his grandmother left him. I will cover the extra boarding cost, so all that will come out of it will be whatever tuition isn't covered."

"I don't think that will be a problem, though I'm not sure we could cover any more than what we're doing for Kurt," Headmaster Kent said. The scholarship coordinator had already called him and told him that Noah would be coming in and to offer this deal to them.

Noah's mind was blown. He had never in his life had an adult give a shit about him besides Burt. And here was this educator, allowing him to attend this very prestigious school and giving him a scholarship so that his costs could be cut. "Are you for real?" he asked both of them. He was sure someone was pulling his leg.

Burt chuckled under his breath, and the headmaster answered, "Yes, Noah. We're for real. I can tell that there's something special about you, and I want my school to be the one to foster it and help it grow. Now, let's get the paperwork all signed and done. We should have it all done in time for you two to have lunch with Kurt."

* * *

"I just got a text from Dad. He and Noah will be joining us for lunch," Kurt wrote on his skin during his French class. He was practically fluent, and his teacher loved him. So, he wasn't too nervous about writing the message.

Blaine drew a 'smiley face' and a 'star,' signaling that he was happy and that he couldn't talk right then.

The rest of the day went smoothly for everyone. Kurt and Blaine had lunch with Burt and Noah before they had to head back to Lima, and Noah un-enrolled from McKinley. He got the rest of his things from his mother's house when they drove by and saw she wasn't there. Noah was glad she hadn't thrown everything out on the front porch after he left. She'd tried to burn all of his dad's things when he'd left, so Noah had tried not to leave anything precious behind when he'd left on Friday.

Kurt and Blaine spent the night much like they had the previous night, though this time, they tried to draw things out a little bit longer than they had before. After they were cleaned up, Kurt wanted to ask Blaine something that had been on his mind.

"Honey?" Kurt asked as they were laying on his bed.

"Yeah?" Blaine answered.

"I want to ask you something, but, it's kind of…" Kurt couldn't think of the right word.

"You can ask me anything, baby," Blaine said and kissed Kurt's nose.

"In everything that I've ever heard or read about soulmates," he said, "I've never read or heard anything about intense feelings felt through the bond. I know in _Romeo and Juliet_ and _The Princess Bride_, they talk about how when one soulmate was in great pain, the other could feel it. But, those are just stories. Yet, I can feel how good _you_ feel when you cum. It's amazing; don't get me wrong, but...is it normal and not just something people talk about?"

"I honestly have no idea," Blaine said. He had been thinking about this, too, and didn't know how to bring it up. "I was planning on going home Thursday night for supper. Would you like to come with me, and we can talk to my parents about it?"

"Yeah," Kurt agreed. "Maybe if they don't have any ideas, we could ask my dad, too."

The next day was Noah's first day at Dalton. The administration had thankfully put him in classes with Kurt, Blaine, Jeff, and Nick. He was rooming with Jeff as this was the last room available. Kurt wondered if having those two as roommates would come back and bite someone in the ass. They got along like two peas in a pod. Two bad-ass peas in a pod.

At Warblers rehearsal that afternoon, Noah auditioned.

"Hey, guys," Noah stated after Wes had given him the floor. "I'm Noah Puckerman, and you can either call me Noah or Puck. I don't really have a preference anymore. Anyway, I'm a tenor and a junior, though I should be a senior. That's a long story. My song will be "Happy With You" by Paul McCartney. I used to be a mess, a really big mess, and when I got my mark-"

"WHAT?" Kurt exclaimed, jumping up from his spot on the couch. "Noah Aaron Puckerman, you got your mark, and you didn't tell me?"

"Pretty Boy," Noah said pleadingly, "I promise to tell you later. Please..."

Kurt took a breath, seeing his friend so very much out of his element, and nodded toward him. "Okay, we'll talk later. I'm sorry I interrupted you." He sat back down next to Blaine, smoothing his palms over his dress slacks.

"Anyway," Noah continued, "after I got my mark, I realized that I could be happy. And even though I haven't met my soulmate yet, I know that all of the crap I used to do that I thought made me happy was really just masking loneliness. They make me happy, and they've led me down a better path than I ever thought was possible."

Noah picked up a guitar that was sitting near the piano and started to sing.

"_I sat round all day  
I used to get stoned  
I liked to get wasted  
But these days I don't  
'Cause I'm happy with you  
I got lots of good things to do, ooh yeah_

_I walked around angry  
I used to feel bad  
But nowadays my days  
Don't have to be sad  
'Cause I'm happy, with you  
I got lots of good things to do, ooh yeah_"

He kept singing, smiling at all of the things he and his soulmate had talked about, all of the encouragement they'd given each other. Everything. He was so excited to meet them someday, and he couldn't help but feel that someday might be soon.

Kurt had unshed tears in his eyes by the end of the song. He had never seen his friend so genuinely happy as he was in that moment, singing about the one person on earth meant just for him. Noah was voted in unanimously that afternoon, and he couldn't have been more grateful to this group of guys who accepted him right away.

* * *

A/N: The song used is "Happy With You" by Paul McCartney. The house sold before I knew what I was going to write, and I didn't get pictures saved of everything I wish I would have. But...you get the gist from what's there. If you'd like to see them, head over to my Tumblr page, jayhawk-writes, and they should be there under the Chapter 11 post.


	12. We Belong Together

A/N: I borrowed an OC name from one of my favorite fics, "Welcome to Dalton Academy, Kurt," by stargleekbelle. I honestly don't think he will show up again, but I loved the character in the story so much that I wanted him to be in mine too, even if for only one moment. Also, a special thank you to StarWest45 and teddyshoney for a couple of the ideas that come up in this chapter.

* * *

"Alright, Noah. Spill!" Kurt demanded. Noah had followed Kurt up to his room. Blaine had asked to be there, too, to hear about Noah's soulmate mark.

Kurt and Blaine were sitting on his bed while Noah had pulled up Kurt's desk chair in front of them. He rubbed his hand over his mohawk, thinking he needed to grow the thing out now. He almost wanted to ask Kurt for a make-over. Almost. He still wanted to be himself, but it didn't seem like he needed to try as hard anymore. He took a deep breath and said, "I got my mark six months ago."

Blaine squeezed Kurt's hand when he sensed that his soulmate was going to berate Noah again for not telling him sooner. Kurt closed his eyes and took a breath. He wasn't mad anymore; he was hurt, and he hoped that Noah had a good reason for keeping this from him.

"My soulmate would write to me," Noah started to explain, his head bowed down. "They would write every day. And, I never once answered. How could I? I have absolutely nothing to offer. I haven't got a family that gives a shit about me. And, as much as I joke about you being my brother, as much as I wish it were true, it's just not. So, how could I offer this person anything? Every day, it's the same message, 'Let your past be your compass, but never your anchor.'"

Noah took a deep breath and continued, "And every day...I would let it sit there for about five minutes, and then I'd get rid of it. I did that for the longest time, until one day, it clicked. And, that's when I started to change. Inside at least. You know McKinley, Princess. They'd never have let me live it down if I was myself. Really myself. I wouldn't be able to protect me or you. Anyway, that's why I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to yell at me for ignoring my soulmate. I didn't, and don't, believe that I am worthy of them. I'm starting to, but I'm just not there yet." Noah took a breath and continued to stare at the floor. He couldn't stand to see the disappointment in his friend's eyes.

Kurt got off the bed and knelt in front of Noah. "You are an extraordinary person, Noah Puckerman," Kurt whispered. "Your soulmate is right, you know. None of us should let our pasts control us. We should examine the past, learn from it, and then move on. You deserve all of the best things in this life. And even though we aren't blood or legal brothers, we're brothers nonetheless. I love you, Noah. Ridiculous mohawk and all." Kurt leaned forward to hug him, hoping that something he said to his friend sunk in. He couldn't resist tussling the mohawk just a bit.

"Leave the 'hawk alone, Princess," Noah said, hugging him back just as tightly.

"Um," Blaine interrupted, not able to hold his silence anymore. "I hate to break up this little hug-fest, but, Noah, why are you calling my soulmate 'Princess'? And Kurt, why aren't you upset about it?" He didn't want to be rude, but there was no way Kurt wouldn't be at least a little bit mad about that name.

Noah looked at Kurt, "You wanna explain this one?"

Kurt turned around and sat beside his soulmate again, knowing that what he was going to say could be difficult for Blaine to hear. "I told you some things about what happened at McKinley. The name-calling, though, was something that's always been a struggle for me. Noah was the only one to really pick up on how badly the names hurt me. Well, Brittany did, too, but that's not the point. Noah was one of my protectors at McKinley. The other guys in glee tried, but they all had other focuses. Anyway, one of the ways Noah helped me was by sort of blending in with the jocks. He called me 'Princess' once, and I knew there was no malice behind it. And, let's be honest, I'm sort of a diva."

"Sort of?" Noah asked, grinning.

"Shut up," Kurt replied. "I think if anyone else were to call me that, it would bother me. Coming from Noah, though, it doesn't. He also calls me 'Pretty Boy.' You've already heard that one, though, so please don't get mad about it either."

"Okay," Blaine said and kissed Kurt chastely on the lips. Then, he turned to Noah. "Thank you for keeping him safe. I know I've probably already said it, but I wanted to say it again. And, Kurt's right, you shouldn't live in the past. Take what you need from it, and let it guide you forward. Only hold on to the things that you need and will help you in the future." He leaned in and gave Noah a small hug, too. They didn't know each other well, but Noah was practically Kurt's brother; Blaine wanted to be sure the boy knew he was there for him, too.

"You guys really were made for each other, weren't you?" Noah asked. He grinned at Kurt when the other boy gave him a half-hearted punch to the arm.

They spent the rest of the evening doing homework in the common room. Jeff, Wes, David, Nick, and Beatz joined them. After they had finished all of their homework, some of the guys played Call of Duty while the others watched and gave them shit when they died. Noah loved this group of guys and couldn't wait to spend more time with them.

* * *

The week progressed like normal. Kurt and Blaine fell back into their routine of studying and making baby steps with their physical relationship. Each time they were together, they progressed a little further. They were now using their hands over their clothes instead of just rutting up against each other. Both anticipated the double-euphoria they knew they would feel when they orgasmed; they couldn't get enough.

Wednesday night, after they had found their mutual release and cleaned up, they talked about how they were going to bring up the topic to Blaine's parents.

"I think we should just talk about it in general terms," Blaine suggested. "They don't need to know anything other than we can feel each other's emotions."

"Okay," Kurt said. "I like that idea. And, you really think they might be able to give us some answers?"

"I really do," Blaine replied and kissed his soulmate gently on the temple.

The following night, the boys joined Blaine's parents at their house for supper. Phillip and Marisol were very inviting and made Kurt feel comfortable from the moment he stepped into the house. Blaine gave him a tour while his parents finished cooking and setting the table. While they were in the living room, Kurt noticed a family photograph, likely the last one taken before Abigail passed.

"Your family is beautiful," Kurt said, staring at the photo. He noticed another next to it.

"That's Abigail and Elijah," Blaine said and wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist, hooking his chin over Kurt's shoulder. "It was taken that summer at his birthday get-together. And that..." Blaine said, pointing to a carved piece of wood with a lighthouse and sailboat on it.

"Is their urn," Kurt finished in a whisper with unshed tears in his eyes. "It's perfect."

"It is, isn't it?" Blaine whispered back.

Both boys could feel the other's sadness, and it helped to remind them of what was in store for the rest of their night. They both took in a deep breath at the same time, just as Marisol came in to tell them that supper was ready. She saw what they were looking at, and her heart both broke and soared at the same time.

"Boys," Marisol said quietly, not wanting to startle them, "supper is ready."

Kurt and Blaine turned around at the same time, like they had been in sync their whole lives, and walked into the dining room together. The meal was wonderful. Blaine's parents asked about school, the Warblers, and things of that nature. Both boys decided that they would talk with the Andersons after they had finished eating.

"Mom, Dad?" Blaine asked. "There's something we'd like to ask you about. Could we go into the living room and talk for a little bit?"

"Sure, son," Phillip replied. "Let us get the leftovers put away, and we'll be right in."

"Do you need any help?" Kurt asked.

"No, thank you, sweetheart," Marisol answered.

A few minutes later, Phillip and Marisol joined the boys in the living room. They brought in some cookies Marisol had baked for dessert.

"So," Phillip said, "what is it that you wanted to talk to us about?"

"Well, sir," Kurt started and was instantly cut off by Phillip.

"Please, Kurt, call me Phillip," he insisted, smiling gently at his son's soulmate.

Kurt blushed and nodded, "Phillip. Our bond is different than any bond either of us has ever heard about. Blaine told me that you're a historian, so we thought we'd bring our questions to you first."

"We can feel each other's emotions," Blaine explained. "And, not just the big ones, but all of our emotions are felt very intensely by both of us. When Kurt's distressed, I can feel it and can offer him comfort without even having to be near him."

"Infinites," Phillip whispered. "I never thought I'd live to see the day."

"Infinites?" the other three occupants in the room questioned in unison.

"Throughout history," Phillip began, "there have been myths of what is called 'infinite soulmates.' They aren't widely talked about at all, because there has never been any evidence to support their existence. Sometimes, authors will use parts of the idea behind an infinite soulbond but never describe the whole thing. Shakespeare used the intense feelings with Romeo and Juliet, as have many others, but nobody adds in the other part, which I feel is the most important."

"Which is?" Blaine asked impatiently.

"You two," Phillip said, looking at his son and soulmate, "will always be together. As in, for eternity. You will always find each other in any life you live. In every reality that there is, in every realm and world, there will be a version of the two of you, and you will find each other. You two were born into a love so strong it cannot be broken."

Kurt and Blaine could feel an amalgamation of feelings coming off of each other. Kurt was in awe and a little bit scared at the prospect of such a great responsibility. Blaine was excited and intimidated. But, the one feeling that they both felt stronger than any other was love. Their love for each other, their bond, was solid and a force to be reckoned with. They turned toward each other at the same time and smiled.

"Wow," both boys said at the same time.

"I wonder," Kurt said, "if that would explain the dream?"

"Dream?" Marisol asked.

"We had a dream several nights ago," Blaine explained, "where it looked like we were in different places and situations, but nothing looked familiar. It was like a memory, but not one that we've lived in this lifetime. I thought this before, and it seemed so ludicrous that I didn't say anything, not even to Kurt."

"I had similar thoughts," Kurt replied.

"Amazing," Phillip whispered. "I swear I won't tell anyone. Your secret is safe with us. Kurt, will you tell your dad?"

"I'd like to," Kurt said, looking toward Blaine for his thoughts.

"We should tell him," Blaine agreed. "What about our brothers?"

Kurt smiled, happy that Blaine accepted Noah as his brother. "I would love to tell Noah. What about Cooper?"

All three Andersons exchanged wary glances. "I don't want to keep this a secret from him," Blaine said. "Do you guys think he could keep it to himself?"

"I think he would," Marisol replied. "We would need to present it to him in a way that helps him to understand the magnitude of what could possibly happen if it were to get out. Someone might want to study you or experiment on your bond. I won't risk your safety, either one of you."

"Next time he's home," Blaine said, "we'll tell him."

Then, the group switched to talking about Kurt's house and when he thought they'd be able to move in until another big topic came up.

"So, Kurt," Marisol asked, "what do you want to do after high school?"

"I've got a couple of different routes I've been thinking about," Kurt answered. "I love to sing and perform. Which is great, but there aren't many roles that I'd fit into very well. So, I have thought about becoming a playwright with the intention of making roles for people who don't fit into traditional ones. It's either that or fashion right now."

"You'd be perfect at either of them," Blaine said.

"Thanks," Kurt replied. "What about you?" He gave his soulmate's knee a comforting pat. He looked tense.

"Well," Blaine said nervously, "I'd like to get into law or do something with social justice."

"Why are you so nervous about this?" Kurt asked softly.

"I'm not sure," Blaine replied. "It just seems like such a huge undertaking, what I want to do with it all. I guess it's just scary to think about what, if any, change I could make for the future."

"Son," Phillip said, "you've always had big ideas and aspirations. They're part of what makes you who you are. If this is something you want to do, you can do it. We'll be here cheering you on every step of the way."

"Thanks," Blaine said, a blush rising on his cheeks. He loved his family and their support of him.

* * *

That evening, at the dorms, Noah was getting ready to shower when Jeff popped into the room unexpectedly. Noah had already taken off his shirt and was walking into the bathroom when he noticed Jeff.

"'Sup, dude?" Noah said and continued into the bathroom.

Jeff couldn't answer; he was in shock. He knew someone with a complimentary soulmark to the one he had just seen on his new roommate. And, it was in the exact same place Noah's was.

* * *

The next couple of weeks went by smoothly. Jeff tried, again, to see Noah's mark but was unsuccessful. He got the sense that Noah was very protective of it, even more so than most people, so he had to come up with a new tactic for testing out the theory of his potential soulmate.

Noah had started communicating with his soulmate after he had talked to Kurt and Blaine. The same message was always on his arm when he woke up: "Let your past be your compass, but never your anchor." He would always reply back with, "Thank you. I hope you have a wonderful day!" He would then draw a rudimentary compass, knowing that it wasn't against the self-identifiable rules. A few minutes later, an equally rudimentary anchor would appear beside it. Later on in the day, the two would talk sometimes, though not about anything important.

Kurt had spoken with his dad about what Noah had said regarding being part of their family. He wasn't sure if there was anything that could be done about it, but he wanted his dad to know nonetheless.

Burt had told both Noah and Kurt that they were allowed to get into the new house and start painting if they wanted. Noah didn't really want to do anything to his room. He said he would help Kurt if he wanted, but nothing needed to change in his personal space.

Kurt went to the store that afternoon to get paint samples, bringing them back so they could all decide on the dining room color together. In the end, they agreed on a very pale blue. He also decided on a shade of gray for his bedroom, stating that it would go with his current bedroom set the best.

That weekend, Kurt and Blaine went to the house to get started on the painting. Noah and Burt had to work at the shop, and Blaine's parents were out of town visiting Cooper for a few days. They made sure to wear clothes they didn't care about getting messy and brought extra outfits with them in case they decided to have some fun. Kurt was glad that the utilities were turned on so that, if they needed, they could shower without having to go next door to the Anderson's or back to campus.

They spent the morning taping off the two rooms and laying covers over the floors so they didn't get any paint drippings on them. Blaine called his favorite pizza place to deliver some lunch, and then, they got back to work. Both boys loved spending time with each other, even doing things as mundane as painting a room. They hadn't really discussed what they had learned about infinite soulbonds. They had both decided that it was what it was, and they were just so happy to be a part of it.

The boys were working in silence, having not yet started a new playlist when the previous one had finished. Kurt had been thinking about their bond, and a song sprang into his mind.

"_You're mine and we_ _belong_ _together  
__Yes, we_ _belong_ _together, for eternity_"

Blaine took over the next verse and, putting his paintbrush down, walked closer to Kurt.

"_You're mine, your lips_ _belong_ _to me  
__Yes, they_ _belong_ _to only me, for eternity_"

Blaine mouthed at Kurt's neck, causing his soulmate to drop his paintbrush. Luckily, Blaine was expecting this and caught it before it could hit the floor. He set it near the paint can and went back up behind his love.

"I am the luckiest man alive," Blaine said straight into Kurt's ear, his right hand traveling down Kurt's torso until it reached the band of his jeans. Blaine made an inquisitive noise as he rested his fingers on the button.

Kurt nodded, knowing exactly what Blaine wanted to do. They were both ready to take this step. He had been thinking a lot about moving forward in their relationship and felt like right now was the perfect time to do that.

Blaine unbuttoned Kurt's jeans one-handed and put his hand in Kurt's underwear. He gripped Kurt's length and began to stroke it with firm, long strokes.

Kurt laid his head back on Blaine's shoulder and closed his eyes. He didn't want to get distracted by anything while this was happening. He just wanted to be in the moment, enjoying every second of his soulmate's touch.

Blaine continued to stroke Kurt's cock with his right hand as his left hand reached up to tweak at Kurt's nipples. He mouthed at Kurt's neck, loving each and every sound his soulmate was producing. When he could tell that Kurt was getting close, he redoubled all of his efforts. It was taking all of his willpower to not rut up against Kurt's perfect ass. He wanted this moment just to be about Kurt.

"Close," Kurt whimpered.

A few seconds later, Blaine said, "Cum," and proceeded to suck a large hickey on Kurt's neck. He could sense through their bond when Kurt was starting to get oversensitive, and he stopped.

Kurt could tell that his soulmate needed release, and an idea sparked in his mind. He just hoped he wouldn't cross any boundaries. After Blaine removed his hand from Kurt's pants, Kurt turned around and spun Blaine against the wall. He looked directly into Blaine's eyes then slowly knelt down on the floor, never once breaking eye contact.

Blaine nodded at Kurt's questioning gaze, and Kurt started to unbutton Blaine's jeans then slowly pull them down. Once they were in a puddle around his ankles, Kurt hooked his fingers into the waistband of Blaine's boxer briefs, again asking without words if he could proceed. Blaine's nod was much more animated this time. Kurt smiled at him and pulled his underwear down. It was then that Kurt's gaze broke away from Blaine's eyes and looked at the very hard cock pointing at him.

"You're beautiful," Kurt whispered and leaned forward, placing a kiss right on the head.

Blaine moaned loudly, and his head hit the wall behind him.

Kurt continued to place kisses on the velvety smooth skin all the way down to the base. He stopped, only for a moment, to inhale the scent of his soulmate. The only way he could describe it was heaven. They both had been sweating from the effort they were putting into painting the two rooms this weekend, and apparently, Kurt had a bit of a thing for Blaine's sweat. After his lungs had filled with the intoxicating aroma, Kurt wrapped his lips around the crown of Blaine's cock and began to lick and suck.

It wasn't very much longer before Blaine was warning Kurt that he was going to cum. Kurt tried to swallow it all, but some of it ended up getting on his face.

Blaine looked down at Kurt, who was looking up at him through his eyelashes and sang.

"_You're mine, my baby and you'll_ _always_ _be  
__I_ _swear_ _by_ _everything_ _I own  
__You'll always, always be mine_"

They both smiled at each other and finished the song together.

"_You're mine and, we_ _belong_ _together  
__Yes, we_ _belong_ _together, for eternity_"

Kurt was the next one to speak as all of the excess fluids on his body were starting to feel really gross. "Wanna join me in the shower?"

"I'd love to," Blaine replied.

They helped each other wash in the shower, and they may have gotten each other off again. Kurt had to help Blaine wash his hair since he had pushed him into a wet wall. They were lucky that the paint came out easily. After they were out of the shower, they changed into fresh clothes and finished painting the dining room, both understanding that the bedroom would have to be completed the following day.

Every so often, one would start humming "We Belong Together," and the other would start singing. By the time the weekend was over, they weren't sure how many times they had sung the song. Somehow, it just seemed to fit perfectly.

* * *

Sunday night, when Noah got back to the dorm rooms, he was startled to see a very pretty girl sitting on Jeff's bed with him.

"Hey, man," Jeff said. "How was your weekend?"

"It was good," Noah said. "Work was steady, and I helped Burt pack some more things up. How was yours?"

"Fairly boring," Jeff said, earning him a slap from the girl sitting next to him.

"Ass," she said.

"Ow!" Jeff replied. "Okay, it was pretty great. Noah, meet my younger sister, Julia."

"Younger by two fucking minutes," Julia said with exasperation. "Nice to meet you, Noah." She got up off of Jeff's bed and walked over toward Noah who seemed to be stuck in place by the door. Once she was near enough, she stuck out her hand for him to shake. When their hands touched, it was like electricity ran through their bodies.

"Anchor?" Noah asked.

Julia was nodding her head. "Compass?"

Noah nodded, too, and the two hugged, oblivious to the 'yes' shouted in the background.

* * *

A/N: The song used in the chapter is "We Belong Together" by Ritchie Valens. It works so perfectly, completely on accident. The quote that Julia writes on her skin each day is by Destiny Carter.


	13. If My Heart Was A House

Jeff excused himself from the room after a few moments of being ignored. When Noah and Julia broke their hug, they looked into each other's eyes and kissed. It all seemed as natural as breathing to them.

"I can't stay long," Julia said, breathless. "I have to get to my dorm before curfew. Can we touch marks? I want-"

"Yes," Noah said, cutting her off. He didn't need any explanation.

Both took off their shirts to reveal their marks. Noah was so entranced by Julia's mark that he completely overlooked her lack of dress and lacy pink bra. They looked into each other's eyes and touched their marks together. There were no fireworks. There was only completeness.

* * *

Things were moving right along in the boys' life. They, or "Klaine" as the Warblers had affectionately named them, were going to sing a duet for Sectionals. and the new house, which they were already moving stuff into, was going to be ready to entertain in by Thanksgiving. Kurt had asked to host the meal this year, and everyone agreed to let him. So far, he was cooking for 12 people: Burt and Noah, the Anderson's (all four of them), and the Sterling's, which included Jeff's soulmate, Nick.

When he found out that Nick and Jeff were soulmates, Kurt was almost upset that he hadn't noticed before. Blaine told him not to be upset with himself or anyone else. He was busy. They were figuring out their own unique bond, he was changing schools, helping paint and move into a new house, and navigating his friendships with his old classmates. When he had first transferred, several of the New Directions would talk to him, but now, it was mainly just Brittany and Santana. The rest had gotten too caught up in their own lives, and Kurt was honestly okay with that. It just proved who his true friends were. He had a new life to live, too.

Kurt had also learned that Cooper had yet to find his soulmate. Cooper was okay with that right now. He wasn't in any hurry to settle down, and quite enjoyed his single and free life. Between his filming schedule and all of the interviews he had to do, he didn't really have time for a relationship. He knew that whenever Fate decided it was time, his soulmate would appear. He just needed to be patient.

Thanksgiving was going to be a very special affair in the Hummel home. It would be their first holiday in their new house, and it would double as a housewarming party. What nobody but Kurt and Burt knew was that there would be one more celebration to add into the mix.

Marisol and Jennifer, Jeff's mom, offered to bring something. Kurt asked if either of them had anything they liked to make or ate as part of their family tradition. Marisol said that she had a wonderful stuffing recipe that her family always ate, and Jennifer said that she had been told that she made the best green bean casserole anyone had ever had. Noah said that his Nana taught him how to make rolls, and Nick said that his mom made kick-ass sweet potatoes. Since his family was going to be out of town on Thanksgiving weekend visiting a sick relative across the country, Mrs. Duval said that she would make them, and all that would need to be done was put them in the oven.

Kurt was amazed at all of the help that he was being offered and readily accepted all of it. Burt said that he would smoke a turkey, so all that really left Kurt with was the ham (because it was his absolute favorite), the mashed potatoes (because they were Blaine's favorite), and the desserts. He started preparing the desserts the day he got out of school. Blaine came over to help. Kurt taught him all of his mother's recipes: pumpkin pie (which was on the back of the can because nobody could make a better pie than Libby could), pecan pie, Kentucky Derby Pie, and a fruit pie. Burt, Blaine, and Noah debated which kind of fruit pie it should be and decided, in the end, to have blueberry.

As the boys were baking, they worked on their duet for Sectionals, taking place the following weekend. They were bound and determined to beat the New Directions. Blaine started the song.

"_You're the sky that I fell through  
__And I remember the view whenever I'm holding you  
__The sun hung from a string  
__Looking down on the world as it warms over everything  
__Chills run down my spine as our fingers entwine  
__And your sighs harmonize with mine  
__Unmistakably  
__I can still feel your heart  
__Beat fast when you dance with me_"

They danced around the kitchen as they sang, knowing that the words they were singing were true. They could feel things others couldn't. Their bond was special, and they could feel what was in each other's hearts. Blaine continued to sing as Kurt echoed him.

"_We got older and I should have known  
__(Do you feel alive?)  
__That I'd feel colder when I walk alone  
__(Oh, but you'll survive)  
__So I may as well ditch my dismay  
__(Bombs away... Bombs away...)_"

Both boys knew that they would walk together for the rest of their lives. They knew that no matter what happened in this life, they would find each other over and over again, as long as time existed. Sometimes, their infinity bond was overwhelming, but today, it was easy to understand. They could communicate through the song. Kurt took the next verse and then they ended with the chorus like before.

"_Circle me and the needle moves gracefully  
__Back and forth, if my heart was a compass you'd be North  
__Risk it all cause I'll catch you if you fall  
__Wherever you go, if my heart was a house you'd be home  
_

_It makes me smile because you said it best  
__I would clearly feel blessed if the sun rose up from the west  
__Flower balm perfume, all my clothes smell like you  
__Cause your favorite shade is navy blue_"

By the end of the song, both boys were in tears. They knew that the song was so right for them. They were each other's home. Their hearts were home.

"That was really great, guys," Noah said from the doorway of the kitchen. "We have_ so_ got this competition in the bag." He pumped his fist in the air.

Kurt and Blaine agreed and shared a sweet kiss right there in the kitchen.

After Blaine went home that night, Kurt sat on his bed, thinking. Ever since Phillip had told him that the bond that he and Blaine shared was unique and special, he had done a lot of reading on the old 'infinites' myths. His mom had read him the story of Romeo and Juliet, at least a tamed down version of it, when he was a child. Now that he was older, he could understand things about the story that he couldn't when he was a kid.

He knew that, according to literature about 'infinite' soulmates, there was something couples could do to seal their bond. Kurt wasn't quite sure if it would work in other realities or dimensions or whatever there was out there. But, according to what was available here and now, if he and Blaine had sex and touched their marks together as they were climaxing, their bond would be sealed. When their bond was sealed, they would always be able to feel each other, regardless of the space between them, and it wouldn't only be the big emotions.

As it was, they could already feel each other's emotions but only the intense ones, and they had to be close to each other to feel them. If they sealed their bond, they would be able to feel everything, no matter where their soulmate was. Sealing the bond would also allow them to feel when the other's life force faded, which was another reason Kurt was having doubts. He wasn't sure he would want to feel Blaine's life ever leaving him.

Kurt felt that it could be a double-edged sword, so it was something he wanted to talk to Blaine about. "Hey, love. Are you busy? I know we spent the day together, but I wanted to talk to you about something." Kurt's phone rang a second later.

"_Tell the world that we finally got it all right_

_I choose you_

_I will become yours and you will become mine_

_I choose you_

_I choose you, yeah_"

"Hey," he answered.

"What's wrong?" Blaine asked in a panic.

"Nothing's wrong," Kurt answered. "How did you get that something was wrong from that message?"

"I'm not sure why that was my first thought," Blaine admitted. "I'm sorry, my love. What did you want to talk about?"

"Well…" Kurt said. "I'm not sure that there's a way to sugar-coat this, so I'm just going to ask. What do you know about sealing a soulmate bond?"

"Like in the stories and novels?" Blaine asked for clarification.

"Yeah," Kurt responded.

"Well..." Blaine thought aloud. "Just that it has to be sealed during sex and that your marks have to touch. After the bond is sealed, you can feel each other's emotions all of the time. But, Kurt, those are just stories. My dad said that no one knows that infinity bonds really do exist, remember? There's no solid proof of that."

"So were 'infinites' until your dad told us about them," Kurt retorted.

"What if I asked my dad about it?" Blaine offered. "That way, I can see if there is anything to it or if it's just something that was made up to make a story better. I would hate for us to get our hopes up and then nothing happened. Wait…" Blaine swallowed hard at the idea forming in his head." Are you wanting to do it if it is true?" Blaine was having a hard time thinking now that his mind was on having sex with Kurt.

"Easy there, love," Kurt said, feeling a spark of intense arousal through their bond. "Calm down. I just wanted to talk to you about it to see if you'd be open to the idea _if _it's a real thing."

Blaine calmed himself down by thinking things that disturbed him until his arousal was completely gone.

"What the hell was that?" Kurt asked, frowning at the unpleasant sensation radiating through their bond. "I didn't like that feeling at all."

"Sorry," Blaine said. "I was trying to get rid of my hard-on so I could concentrate and talk. What's always worked for me before was to think of gross things."

"Good plan," Kurt said. "I do the same thing. I always think of cockroaches and beards. By the way, you're not allowed to grow a beard; I can't stand them."

Blaine laughed. "I don't like beards either, so you don't have to worry there. Snakes always work for me, too. The way they slither and shed their skin. They're just...eww."

"Okay," Kurt said, "stop. Boners are killed. Can we get back to the other, more pleasant topic?"

"Sorry, again," Blaine said. "I guess my only fear is when we feel the negative emotions. I would love to say that I'm never going to get upset with you or anything like that, but we're human. I know it will be bound to happen. Sometimes, I just need a minute to figure out why I'm mad, and it's usually because of me." Blaine paused, and Kurt could feel his frustration through his bond. "I'm not explaining this very well. Um...we all have rules, right? Like, I have a rule that it's impolite when people talk with their mouth full of food or insult my height. Those aren't necessarily things that I go around telling people when I meet them; they're just rules that I've made up in my head. And, if you unknowingly break one of these rules, I will respond internally with anger, irritation, or annoyance. You'll feel those emotions, and I'm worried that you won't give me time to figure out which of my rules you've broken." He sighed. "Is any of this making any sense at all?"

"I think it is, actually," Kurt replied. "And, I think something that you're trying to say is that other people can't actually make you mad. It's you who reacts to what people say, and if you let them make you mad, they have that control and power over you. So, if I unintentionally do something to break one of your rules, and you get mad about it and lash out at me, you're giving me power over you. But, if you can work out which rule I've broken and communicate that with me in a calm manner, then we can learn and grow. Is that right?"

"I love you so fucking much, Kurt Hummel!" Blaine breathed. "That's exactly it. I wasn't sure if what I was saying was going to make any sense at all, and you just knew. We really are two pieces of the same puzzle, aren't we?"

"We really are," Kurt replied. "I love you, too, by the way. More than I could ever love anything else ever. So, you'll find out what your dad knows about sealing our bond, and we'll go from there?"

"That sounds good to me," Blaine said. "We have to get up early to start cooking, so I'm going to go take a shower then go to sleep. Sweet dreams, Kurt."

"Sweet dreams, Blaine," Kurt replied and hung up his phone.

The boys both went and showered and through their bond, could feel what the other was doing. "_Yeah_," Kurt thought, "_this feeling each other's emotions thing is fucking awesome._" He came moments later with Blaine's name whispered on his lips, knowing that Blaine was doing the same thing in the next house over.

* * *

The next morning, Kurt was up bright and early, preparing what he needed for their Thanksgiving feast. Everyone was supposed to be at the house around noon, and he wanted to make sure that everything he was supposed to have prepared would be the right temperature when their guests arrived.

Noah and Burt were up by 8:00, and Blaine was over at their house around 8:30 to help with whatever needed to be done. Kurt asked Blaine to set the table, thankful they had several extra place settings, while he peeled and diced the potatoes. Noah worked on his rolls while Burt checked on the turkey and helped Kurt with the ham. Both Hummel's were nervous and excited about their surprise.

Their guests started showing up around 11:30. Kurt had finished his cooking and played host along with Noah. Burt was getting the turkey out of the smoker and had started to carve it while talking to Phillip and Jeff's dad, Jonathan.

Once all of the food was ready, Kurt made the announcement that everyone should go into the kitchen to fill their plates and then find a place at the table. The teenagers wasted no time getting food. Burt was the last one to sit, and before he did, he tapped his glass with his fork to get everyone's attention.

"While you guys are eating, Kurt and I have a tradition, started by his mother, that we'd like to do with all of you," Burt said as he looked at how much his family had expanded in the last few months. "We each say something that we're thankful for. Kurt, could you start, bud? I'd like to go last this year." He winked at his son.

"I'm thankful for so much this year," Kurt said. "The beginning of this year kind of sucked for me. Then, all at once, my life was flipped upside down in the very best of ways. I was sent by my best friend on a spy mission that changed my life." He rubbed Blaine's shoulder tenderly. "So, I guess, what I'm most thankful for, sorry honey, is Noah. Thank you for sending me to spy on the competition, without which, we all wouldn't be in this room together."

"I think I'm also most thankful for Noah this year," Blaine said next. "For all of the reasons that Kurt just said."

By this time, Noah was blushing profusely, not used to so much attention. The group continued to go around the table, saying what they were most thankful for. Noah's name was brought up a few more times for the reasons already mentioned. When it got to Noah, he knew exactly what he wanted to say.

"Since my Nana died," Noah said, "life has pretty much sucked. I thought I had to put on this badboy persona to get respect. There were only two people who saw right through it, though. This year, and every year since, they basically took me in as a part of their family. So, I'm thankful for Burt and Kurt."

Noah was sitting next to Burt, so all eyes were on him. "Noah," Burt began, "you seem to be the subject of a lot of peoples thanks this year. I'm thankful for you, too. Kurt and I...we want you to be part of our family. Officially. So, Noah Aaron Puckerman, if you'd like, and it's something you can think about, we'd like to adopt you. Well, I would. Kurt can't since-"

"Yes," Noah whispered tearfully, cutting him off, and got up to hug Burt in a rare display of vulnerability, especially in front of so many people. He peeked over to Kurt and silently asked him to join the hug. "Thank you, both," Noah whispered again. "I love you guys!"

Thankfully, Blaine had told his mom what was going to happen, swearing her to secrecy, and she had captured the whole thing on video. The final paperwork was submitted to the court the next day, and right before Christmas, Noah was officially a Hummel.

* * *

Sectionals happened between Thanksgiving and Christmas. The Warblers were up against the New Directions and the Hipsters. Kurt and Blaine pulled off their duet perfectly.

"_Circle me and the needle moves gracefully  
__Back and forth, if my heart was a compass you'd be North  
__Risk it all cause I'll catch you if you fall  
__Wherever you go, if my heart was a house you'd be home  
__If my heart was a house, you'd be home_"

As they finished the song together, an almost deafening applause erupted from the auditorium.

They ended up tying with the New Directions for first, and both teams went to Regionals. Unfortunately, the New Directions ended up beating out the Warblers there and advanced to Nationals. Who knew they were going to do original songs? That gave the boys ideas for the following year, though. Nobody was overly upset about the loss. Sure, it would have been nice to go to Nationals in New York, and for the seniors it did suck. They knew there wasn't anything they could do about it now, though, and vowed to work harder next year.

* * *

The rest of the year went smoothly for everyone. Cooper was told about the nature of Kurt and Blaine's soulbond, and he promised to never tell anyone. Hearing about it did make him more eager to meet his soulmate, though. He had never seen two people more in love than his little brother and Kurt. As Fate would have it, Cooper got his mark in the spring.

He had never told anyone that he just hadn't gotten his mark yet, but that's why he wasn't worried about not finding his soulmate yet. That summer, when he was in between filming commercials and his TV series, he decided to come back home and spend some time with his family. He went to the mall with Kurt, Blaine, and their friends to do a little shopping. While they were there, they had planned to meet up with Brittany and Santana. What they didn't know was that the girls had a tagalong.

Cooper met Quinn that day and noticed her mark on her left thumb immediately. She had a circle outline and a colored moon, whereas Cooper had a colored circle and a moon outline. They looked at each other and said, "No fucking way," at the same time. As they got to know each other while Cooper was in town, he decided that having her around would be greatly beneficial to his career. She was ruthless and would make damn sure nobody took advantage of him. Quinn, for her part, was ecstatic about the bond. She had always loved managing people and ordering them around. So, she looked into what it would take to be Cooper's manager, a prospect he was fully on board with. His current manager was lazy. Cooper spent a lot of time getting his own work, and his manager only signed him up for quick and easy projects that would have huge payouts. "_Yeah_," Cooper though, "_Richard was definitely going to have to go_."

* * *

Senior year started with a bang. The boys were all anxious to hear back from the colleges they had applied to. It was a complete coincidence that Kurt, Blaine, and their closest group of friends were all applying to colleges in New York City. And, as Fate would have it, all of them, Kurt, Blaine, Noah, Julia, Jeff, and Nick, were all accepted into their number one choice.

Their parents decided that they would ask the kids if they wanted to live in the dorms or in a house together somewhere off campus, all expenses covered by the adults. They knew that it wouldn't be cheap, but they wanted their kids not to worry about making payments on a place or dealing with loud dormmates. As predicted, the kids all wanted to live together. Their parents found an apartment with four bedrooms, one for each couple and a guest room for when one of them wanted to come visit, that was centrally located between their colleges.

The Warblers won Sectionals and Regionals (which pissed Rachel off to no end) and came in second at Nationals in Chicago. Life was fantastic!

* * *

Kurt and Blaine's relationship had progressed beautifully as well. They had even taken one of the last steps in their relationship and had sex. If there ever had been 'perfect' first time sex, theirs was it. It was intimate and emotional, exactly what they'd pictured their first time would be like.

They had talked about it at length and decided not to seal their bond just yet, knowing that someday they would. But, they wanted it to be when they were both a little more mature and not so quick to react emotionally. Because of where their marks were, they were very careful to not let them touch when they were making love. However, they decided that if it happened, it would be because Fate decided it was time.

* * *

Before Blaine, Kurt, or any of their friends or parents knew it, it was time for graduation. The event was bittersweet for all of the families. Burt was so proud of both of his boys. Kurt and Noah had adapted well to Dalton, and their senior year had been a year of positive growth for both of them. Kurt managed to keep his straight A's, and Noah kept his promise of getting A's and B's in all of his classes, an achievement he bragged about to anyone who would listen.

Phillip and Marisol were ecstatic that Blaine was elected one of the three Valedictorian's.

Jonathan and Jennifer were proud of their twins. Though they were graduating from different schools, Julia and Jeff had had to fight like hell when they came into the world at 2 months premature, and they both had made it to a day they weren't sure they ever would.

Burt had contemplated moving to New York with his boys but had very quickly decided against it. Marisol and Phillip had asked him to be part of the scholarship committee and be on the board for the foundation that supported it. He was honored and knew that this was where he needed to be.

Blaine's graduation speech talked about love and living life in the moment. He talked about learning from the past but not getting stuck in it. He talked about perseverance and hard work. In the end, though, his message was about love, finding something you love and giving it your all. But, most importantly, never having regrets.

* * *

A/N: The song used in this chapter is "If My Heart Was A House" by Owl City. Kurt's ringtone is "I Choose You" by Sara Bareilles from Chapter 4.

As far as the adoption stuff goes, there would be a little more that would have had to go into it than what I described, but for the purpose of the story, I simplified it a lot.


	14. A Thousand Years

All of the parents got together one day right after graduation to look for an apartment for their kids. Within moments, they had found the perfect one in the Upper West Side. It had four bedrooms and three bathrooms, in-unit washer and dryer hook-ups, beamed ceilings, and hardwood floors. Kurt and Blaine took the master suite at the insistence of the other couples. Nick and Jeff asked to have the 'olive' room, as they called it, and Julia and Noah asked for the 'mint' room. All of them knew they would be painting as soon as they could.

Since the parents were paying for the mortgage, each of the kids decided they would get jobs to pay for utilities and food. They didn't want to take advantage of their families any more than they felt like they were.

Kurt and Jeff loved everything about Parsons. They were both majoring in Fashion Design, so they had all of their classes together. Both had talked and decided that one day, they would like to open their own store together, playing off of each other's strengths. Jeff had an eye for men's fashion, designing beautiful and cutting edge suits, where Kurt could look at a woman and see the most beautiful dresses on them. They brainstormed ideas for shop names, and the one they liked the best was Warbler Designs.

The rest of the group attended NYU: Julia for Early Childhood Education, Noah for Social Work, Nick and Blaine for Law. They shared some of their general education classes, but for the most part, they went their separate ways once they were on campus, with the exception of Nick and Blaine who had most of their classes together.

During those four years, each member of the group grew individually, and each couple grew as well. There were fights here and there, but one thing they all learned early on was that communication was the way to make things work out. When one member of the group needed space, they could utilize the spare bedroom in their apartment, and the others respected and honored that space. The group formed their own little family, and when it was time to move out of their shared home of four years, they all moved into the same building. They weren't ready to be that far away from everyone just yet.

* * *

On the day Kurt and Jeff opened their shop, Blaine proposed. He knew that the opening was going to be a huge success, and he wanted to make sure that the people who meant the most to him and Kurt were present. There was a reception at their favorite restaurant, and Blaine had worked the whole thing out with the owner and staff. He wanted to sing a special song to Kurt, knowing how much it meant to them considering the nature of their soulmate bond. He had a feeling that they would use it the day of their wedding at some point.

"_Heart beats fast  
__Colors and promises  
__How to be brave?  
__How can I love when I'm afraid to fall?  
__But watching you stand alone  
__All of my doubt  
__Suddenly goes away somehow_

_One step closer_"

Blaine was standing at the front of the restaurant, looking at Kurt with all of the love and passion he had for the other man. As he was singing, he was recalling every moment of their lives together until that point. He remembered their meeting on the stairs at Dalton and the first song he ever sang to Kurt. He remembered meeting each others' parents and learning about infinite soulbonds. He remembered it all; nothing could have been more perfect.

"_I have died every day waiting for you  
__Darling, don't be afraid  
__I have loved you for a thousand years  
__I'll love you for a thousand more_

_Time stands still  
__Beauty in all she is  
__I will be brave  
__I will not let anything take away  
__What's standing in front of me  
__Every breath  
__Every hour has come to this_

_One step closer_"

Kurt was in tears. He felt the intense love that his soulmate was sending through their bond, and he could almost tell what Blaine was thinking. Kurt was replaying memories of them together as he listened to his soulmate serenade him yet again. He remembered transferring schools and dreaming together. He remembered their first kiss and their first time. He remembered painting the new house with Blaine and moving in next to him. He was almost sure he knew what Blaine was going to do.

Blaine finished the song and walked over to Kurt, kneeling down on one knee in front of him. "We met six years ago. I took this man's hand, and we ran down a hallway, a 'shortcut' if memory serves me correctly. And, for those that know me, I'm not in the habit of taking people's hands I've never met before, but I think that my soul knew something that my body and my mind didn't know yet," Blaine said, staring into Kurt's eyes. He had practiced this speech so many times, he could do it in his sleep right now. "It knew that our hands were meant to hold each other's, fearlessly and forever, which is why it's never really felt like I've been getting to know you. It's always felt like I was remembering you from something," Blaine said and winked at Kurt. There were only a select few people in that room that knew how very true the words Blaine was speaking were. "As if in every lifetime you and I have lived, we've chosen to come back and find each other and fall in love all over again, over and over for all eternity. And I just feel so lucky that I found you so soon in this lifetime because all I want to do, all I've ever wanted to do, is spend my life loving you. So, Kurt Hummel, my amazing friend, my one true love, my soulmate, will you marry me?"

Blaine popped open the box, and inside, Kurt saw a very unique ring that looked like it could be some sort of puzzle. The ring had two outer white gold bands made up of unique shapes that were joined together by rose gold capsules and filled with four diamonds each. It was the most unique engagement ring either man had ever seen.

Kurt looked deeply into Blaine's eyes, sending him as much emotion and love as he could through their soulbond since words couldn't describe how he felt, and breathlessly said, "Yeah. Yes."

The restaurant erupted in cheers as Blaine slipped the ring on Kurt's finger and then kissed him.

"We'll have to get you one, too," Kurt whispered after their kiss broke.

"Um…" Blaine said, face heating up in a blush.

"You already did, didn't you?" Kurt asked, hoping he was right.

"I did," Blaine said.

"Do you have it with you?" Kurt asked, and Blaine nodded. "Can I put it on you?" Kurt asked. Blaine reached in his pocket, pulled out a second ring box, and handed it to Kurt.

"I don't have a speech prepared," Kurt began, loudly enough to capture the attention of the room. "I love you, Blaine. More than anyone has ever loved anyone else. And, I know that we will continue loving each other, even after we leave this place. We will, like you said, be together for all eternity, loving each other every single time. And, I can't wait for our forever." Kurt slipped the ring onto Blaine's finger, and the boys shared another kiss, once again oblivious to the cheering around them.

* * *

A year later, the boys got married. They went back and forth between Ohio, New York, and a destination wedding. In the end, they decided on an intimate ceremony in New York with just their closest family and friends. Both boys had made a name for themselves in their respected fields, so they had a very strict 'no pictures' policy that all of their guests were more than happy to abide by. This was their day, and not every Tom, Dick, and Harry needed to be seeing it.

The day was perfect, and the ceremony couldn't have been better. Noah and Cooper, their two best men, sang "Come What May" as Kurt and Blaine lit the unity candle. They knew that they would love each other every day of their lives and even beyond that.

After the ceremony, everyone mingled while the new husbands had some photographs taken before their meal and festivities. When it was time for their first dance, a familiar song came over the speakers, and the two men danced, lost in their own little world, not caring who was watching. They sang to each other, knowing that their marriage wasn't the last life-changing event that would happen that day.

"_I have died every day waiting for you  
__Darling, don't be afraid  
__I have loved you for a thousand years  
__I'll love you for a thousand more  
__And all along I believed I would find you  
__Time has brought your heart to me  
__I have loved you for a thousand years  
__I'll love you for a thousand more_

_One step closer  
__One step closer_

_I have died every day waiting for you  
__Darling, don't be afraid  
__I have loved you for a thousand years  
__I'll love you for a thousand more  
__And all along I believed I would find you  
__Time has brought your heart to me  
__I have loved you for a thousand years  
__I'll love you for a thousand more_"

After an acceptable amount of time, Kurt and Blaine went to their suite. They were ready. They were so, so ready.

When the newlyweds reached their room, they went straight to the bedroom. They had talked this over and knew exactly how this night would go. Kurt lovingly undressed Blaine first, kissing each new patch of bare skin along the way. Once Blaine was naked, Kurt kissed back up his perfect body until he captured his lips in a hungry kiss. "You're so beautiful, Blaine."

"You are too," Blaine whispered. "More beautiful today than yesterday, and I know that tomorrow you'll be even more beautiful."

"Sap," Kurt chucked.

"You love it," Blaine countered.

"I do," Kurt said and kissed his husband again.

When their kiss broke, Blaine started to undress Kurt, kissing his skin as he peeled off the layers. Blaine kissed Kurt all the way back up his body, giving a little kitten lick to Kurt's cock before finishing his journey. "Are you ready, my love?" Blaine asked against Kurt's lips.

"Yes," Kurt replied.

Blaine led Kurt back to the bed and laid him down, making sure he was comfortable. He settled on top of his husband and kissed his way back down his body, laving attention in the areas he knew drove his soulmate crazy. When Blaine reached Kurt's most intimate areas, he wordlessly instructed his husband to hold himself up so that he could prepare him, first with his mouth, and then with his fingers.

Once Kurt was prepared, Blaine slid back up him and made eye contact with his husband. They knew that after this, nothing would ever be the same for them. Blaine slid slowly into Kurt, never breaking eye contact. His mouth hovered just over Kurt's, never touching but sharing breath with each other.

Blaine's pace was slow and steady. Both of them wanted to savor this feeling, these moments, for as long as they could. Through their bond, they could feel the intensity of the love they felt for one another and the anticipation of what they both knew was coming. Neither was sure if it was the promise of what was going to happen in just a little while or if it was because they were now married, but both of them were near their climaxes faster than they wanted. There would be no slowing down and backing off. This was happening, and it was happening now.

They could feel when it was time. They could sense they were about to take the next step in their relationship. All at once, both boys lifted their right hands above Kurt's head and put their marks together right as they came. An intensity like they had never experienced, not even during their strongest orgasms, could have prepared them for what they felt at that moment. They could feel everything, every little feeling the other was experiencing from the love to the awe to the little hint of fear. Blaine could feel the sensations Kurt was feeling from having him buried deep within him, and Kurt could feel the warmth that Blaine was feeling having Kurt surrounding him. But mostly, they could feel each other's love, their undying, unwavering love, and they knew in that instant that sealing their bond was the right decision. The boys made love off and on throughout the rest of the night, knowing that in the morning they'd be on a plane to Italy, and they'd be able to sleep most of the way.

* * *

When they were picking a place for their honeymoon, the boys, again, threw out a lot of ideas. The one place that they both wanted to go, though, was Italy. They both loved _Under the Tuscan Sun_ and always thought it would be the perfect place to go on their honeymoon. When they were looking through different villas they could go to, they came across one that looked somewhat familiar. There was a pool surrounded by rock, and it triggered a memory of a dream they had had shortly after they had met.

_"Is that where I think it is?" Blaine asked. Everything about the picture he was staring at looked familiar, and he could hardly believe what he was seeing._

_"I think so," Kurt replied. "Let's see if it's available when we are planning on being there." He was feeling a pull to that place, and he was hopeful they'd be able to go._

_As Fate would have it, that week it was available. The boys booked it right then, not even needing to look anywhere else._

The boys loved Domus Civita. They loved the food, the house, and the scenery. Mostly, though, they loved the pool and hot tub. They loved the perfect temperature and how they were outside but totally secluded. Neither one could imagine a more perfect honeymoon.

While they were on their honeymoon, they explored the new aspects of their bond. They knew they would need to get a handle on not reacting to every little thing the other was feeling. It was strange at first, if not a little overwhelming. But, the more they experienced the pleasure and pain of experiencing everything together, the happier they became. Was it something they regretted? Not for one second. They loved the closeness that they now felt to each other. It was something nobody else had ever shared that they knew of, and they felt so blessed that they were chosen to have this kind of love.

* * *

Noah loved his job as a social worker. He loved helping kids who didn't have the best home lives, and after they learned his story, it gave them hope that maybe someday, they'd be able to have a happy ending, too. Noah was able to help them see that sometimes you have to create your own happiness, especially when you're dealt a crappy hand. Julia was the perfect preschool teacher, and all of her students adored her.

The couple got married a couple of years after Kurt and Blaine did. They opted to have the ceremony in Westerville. Neither of them wanted a big, fancy wedding and loved the idea of getting married somewhere near to their hearts. The ceremony was held at a park and the reception was in the Hummels' backyard. Kurt turned the place into a twinkling wonderland for his brother and new sister-in-law.

They ended up having one biological child, a boy they named James Michael Hummel. James after Burt which was his middle name, and Michael after Jeff, who was the one who brought them together. When James was three, they adopted a set of twins out of foster care whose parents had both been killed in the same car accident. The Hummels had a wonderful life together and were never too far away from the family that they had built with their friends and siblings.

* * *

Jeff and Nick eloped while Kurt and Blaine were on their honeymoon. Neither one of them wanted a big fuss made over their wedding and were ready to deal with the aftermath when their families found out. Surprisingly, nobody was upset. All they requested was that they allow them to throw a huge reception party to celebrate the joining of their families.

Nick went on to win several court cases and even one historical one that made it illegal to harm anyone based on the grounds that they were different. It was his way of giving back to his friends and getting some justice for those who had lost their lives because of prejudice and ignorance. Jeff and Kurt's shop became _the _place to get high quality, unique fashion. People from all over the world sought them out to design one of a kind pieces for their events. When it came time to retire, they hired their proteges to carry on their legacy.

* * *

With his soulmate finally by his side, Cooper was able to finally take on more emotional roles. He loved White Collar; he did. He always felt, though, that he could do more, that there was more out there for him. And, with his heart unburdened with doubt, he was finally able to take that leap. He no longer had to pretend to be the fun-loving free spirit that he had always portrayed when he didn't know if he ever would have a soulmate. He had her now, and she was wonderful. Quinn was always there by his side, cheering him on and keeping him grounded. They brought out the absolute best in each other, and both of their careers soared because of it. Cooper was offered the very best roles because his wife knew how to market him. She knew what he was capable of, and she made damn sure that he was getting the roles he was meant to take. No more of this fast cash bullshit. Her husband was a star, and it was high time everybody saw it.

Cooper became a household name in no time and won award after award for many years. He never once forgot to thank his wife, his soulmate, the one person who understood and knew him better than anyone, without which he wouldn't be where he was today.

* * *

The kids' parents all loved life as empty nesters. They got together once a week for supper and cards, rotating whose house they were at. Each one of them loved and cherished when their kids were home, and they celebrated each milestone they had. All of them ended up on the board for the scholarship committee, too. They all wanted to make sure that kids like Kurt and Noah would have access to a good education that was free from bullying.

* * *

When Kurt and Blaine were old and gray, they lay in bed one night, reminiscing about all that they had done in their lives. They could both feel this life ending. Neither one was sure what would come next, but the one thing they did know for certain was that they would go through it together. That night, as they fell asleep, they dreamt of a place they hadn't seen before.

A lone figure was standing at a podium in a large gray expanse, holding out a book of adventures.

"Where should we go this time, my love?" Kurt asked.

"How do you feel about being royalty?" Blaine responded, and just like that, the two were off on yet another adventure.

* * *

A/N: The song used in this chapter is a personal favorite of mine, "A Thousand Years" by Christina Perri. The proposal speech is largely from the show, and therefore, I own very little of it!

HOLY SHIT! It's all done. I hope you've enjoyed this journey as much as I've enjoyed reading it. Thank you for the comments, reviews, and likes. I smile like a toddler on Christmas each time I get a notification that someone has liked/commented etc. this story.

Lastly, thank you to teddyshoney for being my amazing beta, friend, and cheerleader. I love you, girl!


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